A BEHAVIORAL ANIMAL-MODEL OF POSTTRAUMATIC-STRESS-DISORDER FEATURING REPEATED EXPOSURE TO SITUATIONAL REMINDERS

The purpose of this study was to evaluate an animal model of posttraum atic stress disorder (PTSD) in mice. The model featured repeated expos ures to situational reminders of a traumatic stress, which consisted o f a brief electric shock, and included assessment of two behavioral pa rameters and the startle reflex, The findings indicated an initial, bu t unsustained, increase in locomotor activity in a neutral environment due to traumatic stress, Exposure to situational reminders was associ ated with a persistent bidirectional abnormal behavioral pattern in a fear-provoking environment and a progressive increase over time in the magnitude of the startle reflex, Exposure to situational reminders al so produced an increase in aggressive behavior. This animal model appe ars to produce behavioral changes analogous to those seen in patients with PTSD.