Peptidergic mediation/modulation of stress response

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The long-term objective of this research program is to better understand how the brain interprets various types of stressors and coordinates internal bodily responses as well as behavioral outputs to cope with the stressors. It is of course clear that adequate responses to stressors serve to protect the organism. Conversely, inadequate responses to stressors are thought to result in bodily damage, either due to failure to protect the body from stressor-elicited deleterious effects and/or mobilization of a cascade of responses that directly harms the body. In this project, rats will be exposed to stressors of various types including: (a) psychological stressors (e.g. exposure of a rat to its predator, the cat or ferret), (b) restraint stress (which has psychological as well as physical attributes), and (c) direct physiological stressors (e.g. exposure to immune-type stressors), and the responses of the rats monitored. We have deliberately selected to study these types of naturalistic stressors, as they are ethologically sound and more likely to yield heuristically and practically useful information. The brain utilizes various chemical signals (neurotransmitters) to communicate not only with the rest of the body but also between different regions of the brain itself. One particular class of such transmitter molecules that seem important in responding to stress are small hormone-like molecules called peptides. We are able to monitor the release of various brain transmitters/peptides, in freely behaving animals - without them being 'aware' of this process. We will also monitor the release of various hormones and assess the level of anxiety/fear in these animals. Indeed, stressor exposure (be it illness-related, psychological or physical) often results in other disorders or diseases, including depression, anxiety disorders and/or cardiovascular diseases. It is hoped that a better understanding of how the brain chemically interprets and reacts to various stressors may shed new light on how to manage or cope with stressors most effectively and how to correct or treat maladaptive stress responses.