Encephalitis (Apr 2024)

Chronic social stress in early life can predispose mice to antisocial maltreating behavior

  • Daejong Jeon,
  • Sangwoo Kim,
  • Sang Kun Lee,
  • Kon Chu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.47936/encephalitis.2023.00199
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 4, no. 2
pp. 23 – 30

Abstract

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Purpose In our previous study, we developed an assay system to evaluate antisocial maltreating behavior of conspecific mice using a perpetrator–victim paradigm. We also generated a mouse model for the maltreating behavior by mimicking child maltreatment or abuse. Here, we further investigate the antisocial behavior using anti-aggressive and antipsychotic drugs. Methods Model mice sequentially subjected to maternal separation (MS), social defeat (SD), and social isolation (SI) in that order (MS/SD/SI model) were subjected to a maltreating behavioral task. The MS/SD/SI mice were treated with oxytocin (OXY), clozapine (CLZ), haloperidol (HAL), and 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT). Western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used for protein analysis. Results A substantial portion of the MS/SD/SI model mice (46% of males and 40% of females) showed a higher number of nose pokes than the control. OXY or 8-OH-DPAT treatment reduced the high number of nose pokes by the MS/SD/SI mice, whereas HAL increased it. CLZ did not affect the number of nose pokes by the MS/SD/SI mice. Interestingly, although the OXY level in the MS/SD/SI mice was similar to that in the control, the amount of OXY receptor was lower in the MS/SD/SI mice. The amount of 5-HT1A receptor was also decreased in the MS/SD/SI mice. Conclusion Chronic social stress in childhood might predispose a mouse to antisocial behavior. Our maltreating behavior assay system, including the MS/SD/SI model, is a good animal system for research on and drug screening for brain disorders associated with antisocial or psychotic behavior.

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