中国科学院心理研究所机构知识库

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different stressors on behaviors, protein levels and phosphorylation of neurogranin (NG), and the possible role of NG involving in the brain mechanisms underlying stress-induced behavioral changes. In the study, physiological stress (PS) was induced by forced cold water (10℃) swimming, and emotional stress (ES)was induced by randomly giving empty water bottles to rats trained to drink water at set times. Behavioral changes in rats after stress were investigated by using open-field test, elevated plus maze task and sucrose preference test. Protein levels and phosphorylation of NG of hippocampus and frontal cortex were determined by Western blotting. The expression of NG in hippocampal CA1-CA3 regions and frontal cortex M1-M2 regions were determined by immunohistochemistry method. The main results are as the follows:

1. Chronic forced cold water swimming stress significantly increased behavioral activity and grooming in open field test and induced a reduction in the volume of consumed sucrose. The NG levels of both hippocampus and frontal cortex were significantly decreased, and phosphorylation of NG was not detected. Most of behaviors, including grooming, exploration and rearing, were negatively correlated with the level of NG.

2. Chronic emotional stress significantly increased grooming behavior of rats. The NG levels of frontal cortex were significantly decreased, and phosphorylation of NG was also not detected. The NG levels of frontal cortex were negatively correlated with grooming behavior.