Tactile stimulation of adult rats modulates hormonal responses, depression-like behaviors, and memory impairment induced by chronic mild stress: Role of angiotensin II
“…Here we used a 10‐min daily stroking intervention as in previous studies, in adult rodents and human infants, we have found it to induce acute relaxation effects on physiology and behavior (Manzotti et al., 2019; Van Puyvelde, Collette, Gorissen, Pattyn, & McGlone, 2019; Walker, Trotter, Swaney, et al, 2017). The lack of effect of tactile intervention on weight gain is consistent with a previous report in adult CMS exposed rats (Costa et al., 2020), where a shorter daily dose, but longer total duration of tactile intervention was administered. Resilient animals still respond physiologically to stress, they just adapt more quickly to stressors (Cathomas, Murrough, Nestler, Han, & Russo, 2019).…”
Section: Discussionsupporting
confidence: 91%
“…Consistent with the previously reported stress buffering effects of gentle handling and tactile stimulation (Aulich et al., 1974; Costa et al., 2020), another group of rats exposed to the same CMS protocol but which received 10 min of gentle, CLTM optimal velocity (5 cm/s), head to tail stroking on their dorsum immediately prior to the daily stressor showed fewer physiological and behavioral markers of chronic distress. That is, while in Experiment 1, they still had significantly lower body weights than non‐stressed rats, they did not show a significant elevation in corticosterone levels 15 min after the acute forced swim test.…”
Section: Discussionsupporting
confidence: 84%
“…Taken together, the findings from the current study are consistent with previous reports that stroking touch can buffer against the negative physiological and behavioral effects of CMS (Boufleur et al, 2013;Freitas et al, 2015;Antoniazzi et al, 2017;Costa et al, 2020). However, they also…”
Affiliative tactile interactions buffer social mammals against neurobiological and behavioral effects of stress. The aim of the present study was to investigate the cutaneous mechanisms underlying such beneficial consequences of touch by determining whether daily stroking, specifically targeted to activate a velocity/force tuned class of low-threshold c-fiber mechanoreceptor (CLTM), confers resilience against established markers of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CMS). Adult male Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to two weeks of CMS. Throughout the CMS protocol, some rats were stroked daily, either at CLTM optimal velocity (5cm/s) or outside the CLTM optimal range (30cm/s). A third CMS exposed group did not receive any tactile stimulation. The effect of CMS on serum corticosterone levels, anxiety-and depressive-like behaviors in these three groups was assessed in comparison to a control group of non-CMS exposed rats. While stroking did not mitigate the effects of CMS on body weight gain, CLTM optimal velocity stroking did significantly reduce CMS induced elevations in corticosterone following an acute forced-swim. Rats receiving CLTM optimal stroking also showed significantly fewer anxiety-like behaviors (elevated plus-maze) than the other CMS exposed rats. In terms of depressive-like behavior, while the same velocity specific resilience was observed in a forced-swim test (FST) and social interaction test both groups of stroked rats spent significantly less time interacting than control rats, though they also spent significantly less time in the corner than non-stroked CMS rats. Together, these findings support the theory CLTMs play a functional role in regulating the physiological condition of the body.
“…Here we used a 10‐min daily stroking intervention as in previous studies, in adult rodents and human infants, we have found it to induce acute relaxation effects on physiology and behavior (Manzotti et al., 2019; Van Puyvelde, Collette, Gorissen, Pattyn, & McGlone, 2019; Walker, Trotter, Swaney, et al, 2017). The lack of effect of tactile intervention on weight gain is consistent with a previous report in adult CMS exposed rats (Costa et al., 2020), where a shorter daily dose, but longer total duration of tactile intervention was administered. Resilient animals still respond physiologically to stress, they just adapt more quickly to stressors (Cathomas, Murrough, Nestler, Han, & Russo, 2019).…”
Section: Discussionsupporting
confidence: 91%
“…Consistent with the previously reported stress buffering effects of gentle handling and tactile stimulation (Aulich et al., 1974; Costa et al., 2020), another group of rats exposed to the same CMS protocol but which received 10 min of gentle, CLTM optimal velocity (5 cm/s), head to tail stroking on their dorsum immediately prior to the daily stressor showed fewer physiological and behavioral markers of chronic distress. That is, while in Experiment 1, they still had significantly lower body weights than non‐stressed rats, they did not show a significant elevation in corticosterone levels 15 min after the acute forced swim test.…”
Section: Discussionsupporting
confidence: 84%
“…Taken together, the findings from the current study are consistent with previous reports that stroking touch can buffer against the negative physiological and behavioral effects of CMS (Boufleur et al, 2013;Freitas et al, 2015;Antoniazzi et al, 2017;Costa et al, 2020). However, they also…”
Affiliative tactile interactions buffer social mammals against neurobiological and behavioral effects of stress. The aim of the present study was to investigate the cutaneous mechanisms underlying such beneficial consequences of touch by determining whether daily stroking, specifically targeted to activate a velocity/force tuned class of low-threshold c-fiber mechanoreceptor (CLTM), confers resilience against established markers of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CMS). Adult male Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to two weeks of CMS. Throughout the CMS protocol, some rats were stroked daily, either at CLTM optimal velocity (5cm/s) or outside the CLTM optimal range (30cm/s). A third CMS exposed group did not receive any tactile stimulation. The effect of CMS on serum corticosterone levels, anxiety-and depressive-like behaviors in these three groups was assessed in comparison to a control group of non-CMS exposed rats. While stroking did not mitigate the effects of CMS on body weight gain, CLTM optimal velocity stroking did significantly reduce CMS induced elevations in corticosterone following an acute forced-swim. Rats receiving CLTM optimal stroking also showed significantly fewer anxiety-like behaviors (elevated plus-maze) than the other CMS exposed rats. In terms of depressive-like behavior, while the same velocity specific resilience was observed in a forced-swim test (FST) and social interaction test both groups of stroked rats spent significantly less time interacting than control rats, though they also spent significantly less time in the corner than non-stroked CMS rats. Together, these findings support the theory CLTMs play a functional role in regulating the physiological condition of the body.
“…These results demonstrate that it is possible to modulate stress resilience through the somatosensory system in rats ( Figure 1 ). Moreover, they agree with another study showing that gentle skin stimulation decreases the development of depressive-like behaviors and improves episodic memory in rats that were exposed to the chronic unpredictable mild stress protocol [ 22 •• ]. Figure 1 Conceptual model to explain the cross-talk between social behavior and stress.…”
“…Normal rats are naturally inquisitive, gregarious, and have normal appetites; however, depressed rats have decreased appetite and reduced desire to explore [ 26 ]. Additionally, they prefer to be alone in a small space, and their learning and memory abilities decline [ 27 , 28 ]. The behavior of CUMS rats highly corresponds to the behavior of depressed patients; thus, CUMS is a common method to induce and study depression [ 29 ].…”
Baihe Jizihuang Tang (BHT) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription, which can also be used as a nutritional food with medicinal value. Herein, we aimed to clarify the antidepressive effects and molecular mechanism of BHT. Network pharmacological analysis; chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) rat model assessment; behavioral tests; analysis of hippocampal neurotransmitter levels, hippocampal pathological structure, and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis; western blot analysis; 16s RNA sequencing; ultraperformance liquid chromatography (UPLC)/mass spectrometry (MS); and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)/ultraviolet (UV) analysis were used. We found 8 potentially active components and 12 targets from the database. KEGG analysis suggested that BHT significantly affected BDNF/tyrosine receptor kinase B levels, glutamate binding, synaptic transmission based on neurotransmitter signal, and the response to glucocorticoid signaling pathways. Consistently, 7 chemical components were identified using UPLC/quadrupole time-of-flight/MS; among them, regalosides A, B, C, and E were unique components of lily of TCM, and their content in BHT was significantly different: regaloside A > B > E > C. BHT could nourish hippocampal neurons, affect neurotransmitter metabolism, reduce HPA axis hyperactivity, improve deficits in hippocampal tissue structure, and change depressive behavior. Moreover, BHT regulated BDNF expression in the hippocampus and improved intestinal flora deficits in CUMS rats by changing the content of Bifidobacterium, Rothia, Glutamicibacter, and Lactobacillus at the genus level. Collectively, BHT attenuated CUMS-induced depression-like behavior by regulating BDNF and intestinal flora disorder through the brain-gut axis. Therefore, including BHT in the medication list may constitute a potential strategy for preventing depression.
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