Citation

Sandi C. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry 2013; 84(9): e1.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/jnnp-2013-306103.1

PMID

23922406

Abstract

In addition to its well-known impact on cognitive function, stress has prominent effects in social behaviors. Epidemiological data in humans indicates that early life stress can have long-term consequences in individuals' personality, including increased aggression and anti-social behaviors. Moreover, other stress-related pathological conditions, such as anxiety and depression are frequently associated with alterations in both the motivation and the actual way to interact with other conspecifics. I will present different animal models developed in our lab in which stress affects the nature of social interactions in rats, their social motivation, dominance hierarchy, and aggression levels. I will briefly discuss some of the neural mechanisms that were observed to be altered by stress and linked to the deficits in social behaviors. Among others, these mechanisms include changes in the expression of synaptic cell adhesion molecules and genes of the serotonin family, as well as in the dynamics of interactions between different brain regions. Evidence for the implication of epigenetic mechanisms will be presented. In addition, I will show evidence indicating that individuals scoring high in anxiety trait show a higher probability of becoming subordinate in a social contest between two males of otherwise equivalent characteristics. The same effect is observed when individuals interact upon the influence of stress. I will, then, speculate about potential neurobiological mechanisms linking trait anxiety with subordination. Overall, I will discuss the different findings within a broader context implying stress as a strong modulator of social interactions.

Language: en