The Influence of Environmental Enrichment on Cardiovascular and Behavioral Responses to Social Stress

Abstract

EE and re-pairing reversed the negative behavioral and cardiovascular consequences associated with social isolation.

Prairie voles as a model for adaptive reward remodeling following loss of a bonded partner

“…A primary advantage to using prairie voles to study loss is the powerful and sustained nature of a pair bond which, when disrupted, results in robust and persistent phenotypes that can be measured in the laboratory. Prior studies have detailed how partner separation activates the hypothalamic−pituitary−adrenal axis, increases anxiety‐like behaviors, alters stress‐responsivity, decreases pain tolerance thresholds, and alters autonomic function 50–57 . Many of these metrics have also been measured after separation from a same‐sex peer 50,52,56,58–60 .…”

“…Prior studies have detailed how partner separation activates the hypothalamic−pituitary−adrenal axis, increases anxiety-like behaviors, alters stress-responsivity, decreases pain tolerance thresholds, and alters autonomic function. [50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57] Many of these metrics have also been measured after separation from a same-sex peer. 50,52,56,[58][59][60] Prairie voles will show an affiliative preference for a same-sex peer, 49,61 so by comparing peer and partner relationships and the responses to their disruption, we can home in on the unique facets of pair bond loss.…”

The role of adult hippocampal neurogenesis in epilepsy and comorbidities

“…除了认知障碍以外，癫痫后共患焦虑、抑郁的情况也非常普遍，癫痫患者共患焦虑、抑郁 的概率比正常人高 2 倍 [77,104] ，且最近的研究也表明成体海马神经发生与焦虑、抑郁样行为密 切相关。最初的研究结果发现抗抑郁药物的应用可以提高成体海马神经发生的水平，提示成体 海马神经发生可能与抑郁存在直接或间接的联系 [83,84,105] 。而成体海马神经发生水平下降是否 与焦虑和抑郁的发病存在必然联系还有待进一步的研究。随后的研究也给出了一定的证据，使 用转基因动物或者辐射等手段降低成体海马神经发生水平可以诱导抑郁样行为 [32,106,107] ，这些 结果表明成体新生神经元在抑郁中可能承担一定的功能。同样地，近几年的研究表明通过丰富 环境等方式提高成体海马神经发生水平或直接激活成体新生神经元等方式可以直接改善动物 的焦虑、抑郁样行为 [108][109][110][111][112] [115] 。此外，也有报道表示癫痫 SE 后将小鼠暴露于 丰富环境中，可以减少后期癫痫的自发频率且伴随的抑郁症状也有改善 [116] 。而外源性移植神 经干细胞的应用也被发现可以改善大鼠脑内癫痫后引起的新生神经元异常，且可以抑制后续癫 痫的发展并阻止相关抑郁样行为 [117] 。在小鼠 KA 模型中，通过特异性地抑制 BDNF 受体 TrkB 也被报道可以在妨碍癫痫形成的同时改善焦虑样行为和海马神经元的丢失 [118]…”

Τhe neuroprotective role of environmental enrichment against behavioral, morphological, neuroendocrine and molecular changes following chronic unpredictable mild stress: A systematic review

“…Additionally, EE has proven to be an effective treatment for a variety of pathologies and brain‐related injuries occurring during lifespan or due to prenatal exposure to various harmful conditions (Dandi et al, 2018; Dorantes‐Barrios et al, 2021; Joushi et al, 2021; McCreary & Metz, 2016; Yuan et al, 2021). Moreover, it exerts protection against HPA axis dysregulation, neurodegenerative disorders, cognitive aging (Hutchinson et al, 2012; Wright & Conrad, 2008) and cardiovascular diseases (Normann et al, 2018), conditions that are aggravated by stressful experiences.…”