The study on the impact of chronic observational social defeat stress on female mice and its underlying mechanism
10.3969/j.issn.1002-0152.2025.07.006
- VernacularTitle:慢性目击社会挫败应激对雌鼠行为影响及其分子机制研究
- Author:
Huirong YIN
1
;
Xiao LIU
;
Jitao LI
;
Zhaohui ZHANG
;
Tianmei SI
Author Information
1. 新乡医学院第一附属医院(新乡 453000);北京大学精神卫生研究所(第六医院),国家卫生健康委员会精神卫生学重点实验室(北京大学),国家精神心理疾病临床医学研究中心(北京大学第六医院)(北京 100191)
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Psychological Stress;
Social interaction;
Cognition;
Anxiety;
Hippocampus;
N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor;
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor;
Female mice
- From:
Chinese Journal of Nervous and Mental Diseases
2025;51(7):420-425
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective To investigate the impact of chronic observational social defeat stress on multidimensional behaviors in female mice,including social interaction,emotion,and cognition,as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms.Methods Adult female C57BL6N mice were divided into a stress group and a control group.Behavioral assessment were conducted through social interaction tests,anxiety-like behavior tests,and cognitive tests(novel object recognition and spatial memory).Synaptic plasticity-related proteins in the hippocampus were detected using Western blot.Results Behavioral tests revealed that the stress group showed reduced social interaction time compared to the control group[(106.2±9.31)s vs.(156.5±14.81)s,P<0.05].In a novel environment,the stress group consumed less food than the control group[(0.10±0.01)g vs.(0.16±0.02)g,P<0.05].Cognitive tests demonstrated that the stress group exhibited impaired novel object recognition[(52.17%%±2.67%)vs.(65.91%±5.23%)]and spatial memory[(61.84%±3.14%)vs.(74.13%±1.94%)]compared to the control group(P<0.05).Western blot analysis showed that the expression of hippocampal synaptic plasticity-related proteins,including the glutamate ionotropic receptor N-methyl-D-aspartate(NMDA)receptor subunit NR2A[(0.66±0.05)vs.(0.89±0.08)]and brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF)[(0.81±0.05)vs.(1.14±0.06)],was significantly decreased in the stress group(P<0.05).Conclusion Chronic observational social defeat stress induces social withdrawal,anxiety-like behaviors,and cognitive deficits in female mice.These effects may be associated with reduced expression of NR2A and BDNF in the hippocampus.
