A novel social fear conditioning procedure alters social behavior and mTOR signaling in differentially housed adolescent rats

Dawud, Lamya’a M.; Loetz, Esteban C.; Lloyd, Brian A.; Beam, Rachel; Tran, Simon D.; Cowie, Kim; Browne, Kim; Khan, Tassawwar; Montoya, Richard; Greenwood, Benjamin N.; Bland, Sondra T.

doi:10.1002/dev.22001

Cited by 7 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 78 publications

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“…1C ) suggests that Learner Rats associated their partner with danger. This agrees with studies showing that rats can associate another rat with a shock US [ 33 ]. A rat that is freezing to a CS can also become a signal for danger, in addition to the CS itself [ 34 ].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Active avoidance under social conditions recruits the anterior cingulate cortex in male and female rats.

Ruble,

Kramer,

West

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Actively avoiding potential threats is necessary for survival. Most research has focused on the behavioral and neurobiological processes when individuals avoid potential threats alone, under solitary conditions. Therefore, little is known about how social context affects active avoidance. Using a modified version of the platform-mediated avoidance task, we investigated whether the presence of a social partner attenuates freezing responses and promotes greater avoidance learning compared to avoidance learned under solitary conditions. Rats spent a similar percentage of time avoiding during the conditioned tone under both conditions; however, rats trained under social conditions exhibited greater freezing during the tone and lower pressing for food reward compared to solitary rats. Under solitary conditions, we observed greater avoidance in female compared to male rats, which was not present in rats under social conditions. To gain greater mechanistic insight, we optogenetically inactivated glutamatergic projection neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) following avoidance training. Photoinactivation of ACC neurons impaired avoidance expression under social conditions both in the presence and absence of the partner. Under solitary conditions, photoinactivation of ACC delayed avoidance in males but blocked avoidance in females. Our findings suggest that avoidance is mediated by the ACC, regardless of social context, and may be dysfunctional in those suffering from trauma-related disorders. Furthermore, sex differences in prefrontal circuits mediating active avoidance warrant further investigation, given that females experience a higher risk of developing anxiety disorders.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Active avoidance under social conditions recruits the anterior cingulate cortex in male and female rats.

Ruble,

Kramer,

West

et al. 2024

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The surprising finding that freezing increased during social partner PMA compared to solitary PMA (Figure 1C) suggests that Learner Rats associated their partner with danger. This agrees with studies showing that rats can associate another rat with a shock US (Dawud et al, 2021). A rat that is freezing to a CS can also become a signal for danger in addition to the CS itself (Cruz et al, 2020).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Active avoidance recruits the anterior cingulate cortex regardless of social context in male and female rats.

Ruble,

Kramer,

West

et al. 2024

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Actively avoiding danger is necessary for survival. Most research has focused on the behavioral and neurobiological processes when individuals avoid danger alone, under solitary conditions. Therefore, little is known about how social context affects active avoidance. Using a modified version of the platform-mediated avoidance task in rats, we investigated whether the presence of a social partner attenuates conditioned freezing and enhances avoidance learning compared to avoidance learned under solitary conditions. Rats spent a similar percentage of time avoiding during the tone under both conditions; however, rats trained under social conditions exhibited greater freezing during the tone as well as lower rates of darting and food seeking compared to solitary rats. Under solitary conditions, we observed higher levels of avoidance in females compared to males, which was not present in rats trained under social conditions. To gain greater mechanistic insight, we optogenetically inactivated glutamatergic projection neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) following avoidance training. Photoinactivation of ACC neurons reduced expression of avoidance under social conditions both in the presence and absence of the partner. Under solitary conditions, photoinactivation of ACC delayed avoidance in males but blocked avoidance in females. Our findings suggest that avoidance is mediated by the ACC, regardless of social context, and may be dysfunctional in those suffering from trauma-related disorders. Furthermore, sex differences in prefrontal circuits mediating active avoidance warrant further investigation, given that females experience a higher risk of developing anxiety disorders.

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Methods and Challenges in Investigating Sex-Specific Consequences of Social Stressors in Adolescence in Rats: Is It the Stress or the Social or the Stage of Development?

McCormick

2021

Neuroscience of Social Stress

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A novel social fear conditioning procedure alters social behavior and mTOR signaling in differentially housed adolescent rats

Cited by 7 publications

References 78 publications

Active avoidance under social conditions recruits the anterior cingulate cortex in male and female rats.

Active avoidance under social conditions recruits the anterior cingulate cortex in male and female rats.

Active avoidance recruits the anterior cingulate cortex regardless of social context in male and female rats.

Methods and Challenges in Investigating Sex-Specific Consequences of Social Stressors in Adolescence in Rats: Is It the Stress or the Social or the Stage of Development?

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