Citation

Hashtjini MM, Jahromi GP, Sadr SS, Meftahi GH, Hatef B, Javidnazar D. Iran. J. Basic Med. Sci. 2018; 21(4): 370-375.

Affiliation

Electrophysiology Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences)

DOI

10.22038/IJBMS.2018.27482.6705

PMID

29796219

PMCID

PMC5960752

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), one of the most devastating kinds of anxiety disorders, is the consequence of a traumatic event followed by intense fear. In rats with contextual fear conditioning (CFC), a model of PTSD caused by CFC (electrical foot shock chamber), deep brain stimulation (DBS) alleviates CFC abnormalities.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty Male Wistar rats (220-250 g) were divided into 5 groups (n=8) and underwent stereotactic surgery to implant electrodes in the right basolateral nucleus of the amygdala (BLn). After 7 days, some animals received a foot shock, followed by another 7-day treatment schedule (DBS treatment). Next, freezing behavior was measured as a predicted response in the absence of the foot shock (re-exposure time). Blood serum corticosterone levels and amygdala c-Fos protein expression were assessed using Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot, respectively. Furthermore, freezing behaviors by re-exposure time test and general anxiety by elevated plus-maze (EPM) were evaluated.

RESULTS: PTSD decreased serum corticosterone levels and increased both amygdala c-Fos expression and freezing behaviors. Therefore, DBS treatment significantly (P<0.001) enhanced serum corticosterone levels and could significantly (P<0.001) reduce both c-Fos protein expression and freezing behaviors' duration. However, DBS treatment has no effect on the general anxiety in PTSD rats.

CONCLUSION: We argue that these outcomes might demonstrate the mechanism of DBS treatment, a complete therapeutic strategy, in PTSD patients.

Language: en

Keywords

Amygdala; Anxiety behavior; Corticosterone; Deep brain stimulation; Freezing behavior; Post-traumatic stress disorder; c-Fos