Ea. Stone et al., BLOCKADE OF EFFECT OF STRESS ON RISK ASSESSMENT BEHAVIOR IN MICE BY ABETA-1 ADRENOCEPTOR ANTAGONIST, Pharmacology, biochemistry and behavior, 55(2), 1996, pp. 215-217
Previous studies have shown that acute stress impairs risk assessment
behavior in mice. The present study was undertaken to determine the ro
le of beta adrenoceptors, which are known to be stimulated by stress,
in this effect. Mice were treated with either a beta-1 antagonist, bet
axolol, a beta-2 antagonist, ICI 118551, an alpha-1 antagonist, prazos
in, or an alpha-2 antagonist, yohimbine, and 30 min later were subject
ed to a 1-h session of restraint stress. Thirty minutes after the stre
ss the animals were tested for the entry latency, number of headpokes
prior to entry, and the path of entry into a white open field from a s
mall dark box. In agreement with previous findings, stress was found t
o markedly reduce risk assessment behaviors as reflected by a reduced
entry latency, a reduced number of headpokes and a changed entry path
from wall hugging to central entry. Betaxolol was found to prevent all
of the above effects of stress dose dependently, whereas ICI 118551,
prazosin, and yohimbine had no reversal effects. It is concluded that
beta-1 receptor activation and possibly brain glycogen depletion is in
volved in the effects of stress on risk assessment behavior. Copyright
(C) 1996 Elsevier Science Inc.