Effects of corticosterone on submissiveness in mice: Some temporal and theoretical considerations

Leshner, Alan I.; Korn, Stephen J.; Mixon, James F.; Rosenthal, Caren; Besser, Andrew K.

doi:10.1016/0031-9384(80)90087-6

Cited by 67 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…The present studies demonstrate that mice exposed to an acute social defeat exhibited a rapid and robust increase in circulating levels of ACTH and corticosterone. This finding confirms that the social defeat procedure used in these studies was indeed stressful for the subordinate animals, in agreement with the literature (1, 5–10). Chronic social defeat also induced an increase in blood corticosterone concentrations.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

“…Acute social defeat in rats has been shown to elevate both corticosterone and ACTH (5–10). Previous studies from this laboratory have demonstrated that social defeat also induces an anxiety‐related behaviour in mice that can be reversed by chronic treatment with citalopram (11), and that repeated social defeat enhances circulating corticosterone levels (12).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Differential Effects of Acute and Chronic Social Defeat Stress on Hypothalamic‐Pituitary‐Adrenal Axis Function and Hippocampal Serotonin Release in Mice

Keeney¹,

Jessop²,

Harbuz³

et al. 2006

J Neuroendocrinology

227

150

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Hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) stress axis and disturbances in serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmission have been implicated in the pathogenesis of depressive disorder. Repeated social defeat of male NMRI mice has been shown to induce increases in core body temperature and corticosterone, indicative of a state of chronic stress in subordinate animals. The present study further characterised the HPA axis response to social defeat stress, and also examined hippocampal extracellular 5-HT release during the stress. Exposure to an acute social defeat elicits increases in plasma adrenocorticotrophic hormone and corticosterone levels, peaking at 15 and 30 min, respectively, and enhances corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) mRNA, but not arginine vasopressin (AVP) mRNA within the medial parvocellular division of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus. A concomitant increase in hippocampal corticosterone and 5-HT levels is observed. By contrast, although chronic social defeat is associated with greatly elevated corticosterone levels, the predominant drive appears to be via parvocellular AVP rather than CRF. Furthermore, subordinate animals allowed to recover for 9 days after chronic social defeat display an increase in immobility in the forced swimming model of depression, indicating that animals previously exposed to the homotypic defeat stress are sensitised to the behavioural effects of a novel stressor. These results demonstrate that social defeat induces prolonged activation of the HPA axis and alterations in 5-HT neurotransmission that could be of relevance to some of the pathological abnormalities observed in clinical depression.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Differential Effects of Acute and Chronic Social Defeat Stress on Hypothalamic‐Pituitary‐Adrenal Axis Function and Hippocampal Serotonin Release in Mice

Keeney¹,

Jessop²,

Harbuz³

et al. 2006

J Neuroendocrinology

227

150

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…One alternative hypothesis is that that marked ACTH‐induced increases in CORT concentrations attenuated the actions of elevated DHEA concentrations on aggression (Rendon et al, ). Prior studies have shown that elevated glucocorticoid levels can inhibit aggression in this and other species (Nock and Leshner, ; Leshner et al, ; Wingfield and Silverin, ; Scotti et al, ). Studies that block hormone‐specific enzymatic cascades allowing for differential release of DHEA and CORT concentrations in response to an ACTH challenge could distinguish these likely effects.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 82%

Bi‐directional actions of dehydroepiandrosterone and aggression in female Siberian hamsters

Rendon

Demas

2015

J. Exp. Zool.

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There is a well-established positive relationship between gonadal steroids and aggression. In some seasonally breeding species, however, aggression often persists or is increased during short "winter-like" days when the gonads are regressed and circulating levels of gonadal steroids are relatively low. Although the mechanisms underlying short-day increases in aggression are not fully known, the adrenal androgen dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) has been suggested as an alternative neuroendocrine mechanism regulating seasonal aggression. We used two complementary experimental approaches to examine the bi-directional actions of DHEA and aggression in female Siberian hamsters, a seasonal rodent that displays increased aggression concomitant with elevated circulating DHEA in short days. In Experiment 1, we examined the effects of aggressive interactions on DHEA concentrations before and after an aggressive encounter in long- and short-day hamsters. Serum DHEA was altered in a photoperiod-dependent manner, with decreased DHEA levels in response to aggression in short- but not long-day hamsters. Next, we experimentally induced adrenal DHEA release via injections of exogenous ACTH and assessed changes in aggressive behavior across photoperiods. We show a robust increase in aggression in short compared with long days during baseline aggression trials; however, aggression was not significantly increased further in response to ACTH in either photoperiod during post-ACTH aggression trials. These findings suggest that DHEA plays a role in the regulation of short-day aggression, while also highlighting the need for additional studies addressing the causal relationship between DHEA and aggression in this and others species.

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“…For instance, in mice, individuals injected with high doses of CORT (Leshner et al . ), or those allowed to respond naturally to adrenocorticotropic hormone injection through CORT secretion (sham‐adrenalectomized mice; Leshner & Politch ), surrendered after a significantly lower number of attacks than either control or adrenalectomized mice respectively. In a different experiment, plasma CORT increased following fights in both dominant and subordinate competitors, yet the magnitude of the increase was shown to be larger and longer‐lasting among losers, implying a higher energetic cost of social stress on the latter compared to winners (Leshner ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ambient temperature, body condition and sibling rivalry explain feather corticosterone levels in developing black kites

et al. 2015

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1. In birds, the steroid hormone corticosterone (CORT) is considered a major mediator in a number of physiological mechanisms and behaviours critical for the regulation of an organism's energy balance. However, the question of whether the way in which circulating plasma CORT is incorporated into feathers actually reflects this regulation, and consequently whether feather CORT (CORT-F) measures allow to make inferences on past levels of energetic demands (also known as the allostatic load), remains unclear. While previous studies have yielded promising results, the technique still wants further study and validation in a wider range of bird species, across life-history stages and under different ecological situations.2. Here, we tested whether CORT-F levels in a sample of 427 nestling black kites (Milvus migrans) reflected interindividual variation in a number of environmental, social and physiological variables known to elevate allostatic load during development. 3. We found that nestlings exposed to low ambient temperatures exhibited high CORT-F, suggesting that feathers registered the expected rise in circulating CORT levels inducing thermogenesis in response to cold stress. 4. CORT-F was also negatively related to body condition, supporting the notion that allostasis becomes less affordable as energy stores become depleted. 5. Finally, CORT-F also reflected brood hierarchy rank, with subordinate chicks exhibiting the highest levels, followed by first-hatched (dominant) chicks and lastly singleton nestlings. Moreover, CORT-F levels in nestlings from multiple-chick broods (but not in singletons) declined with age, mirroring the dynamics of establishment and stabilization of sibling hierarchies in black kites. 6. Altogether, our results underscore the potential of using CORT-F to infer allostatic load in wild avian populations and their potential power as indicator tools in conservation biology.

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Effects of corticosterone on submissiveness in mice: Some temporal and theoretical considerations

Cited by 67 publications

References 16 publications

Differential Effects of Acute and Chronic Social Defeat Stress on Hypothalamic‐Pituitary‐Adrenal Axis Function and Hippocampal Serotonin Release in Mice

Differential Effects of Acute and Chronic Social Defeat Stress on Hypothalamic‐Pituitary‐Adrenal Axis Function and Hippocampal Serotonin Release in Mice

Bi‐directional actions of dehydroepiandrosterone and aggression in female Siberian hamsters

Ambient temperature, body condition and sibling rivalry explain feather corticosterone levels in developing black kites

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