ESTUDO PRELIMINAR DE PARADIGMA DE ESTRESSE PREDATÓRIO PARA INDUÇÃO DE ANSIEDADE EM CAMUNDONGOS SWISS

Abstract

In this study we modified the predatory stress paradigms to determine if a simple and new predatory stress paradigm could produce anxiety-like behaviour in female Swiss mice, exposed to male Wistar rat. We hypothesized that the stressor employed would induce anxiety in the short-term in mice. In addition, we assessed the behavioral effects of the paradigm as much as 12 days after the conclusion of the stress exposure and demonstrate lasting effects of the predatory stress exposure on behavior. Collectively, the data presented here demonstrate that the rat-on-mouse predatory stress paradigm causes changes in behavior of female Swiss mice following a 12 day exposure to the chronic stress paradigm.