Bilateral amygdala stimulation reduces avoidance behavior in a predator scent posttraumatic stress disorder model
Abstract
The predator scent model of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) produces prolonged abnormal anxiety and avoidance-like behaviors. Increased basolateral amygdala activity has been shown to correlate with severity of PTSD symptoms in human studies. Modulation of this increased amygdala activity by deep brain stimulation led to improved symptoms in prior studies that used a foot shock model of inducing PTSD. The predator scent model is a different technique that induces long-lasting avoidance behavioral responses by exposing the animal to an inescapable scent of one of its predators. The authors hypothesize that high-frequency stimulation of the bilateral basolateral amygdala will decrease avoidance and anxiety-like behaviors in a predator scent rodent model of PTSD.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 2018
- Source ID
- 10.3171/2018.5.focus18166
Entities
People
- Alexander M. Papanastassiou
- Bradley A. Dengler
- Ian Mcdougall
- Laura Berardo
- Shane A. Hawksworth
Organizations
- University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
- Walter Reed National Military Medical Center