Journal article
Activity in a prefrontal-periaqueductal gray circuit overcomes behavioral and endocrine features of the passive coping stress response
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS, Vol.119(44), pp.e2210783119-e2210783119
11/01/2022
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2210783119
PMCID: PMC9636920
PMID: 36306326
Abstract
The question of how the brain links behavioral and biological features of defensive responses has remained elusive. The importance of this problem is underscored by the observation that behavioral passivity in stress coping is associated with elevations in glucocorticoid hormones, and each may carry risks for susceptibility to a host of stress-related diseases. Past work implicates the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in the top-down regulation of stress-related behaviors; however, it is unknown whether such changes have the capacity to buffer against the longer-lasting biological consequences associated with aversive experiences. Using the shock probe defensive burying test in rats to naturalistically measure behavioral and endocrine features of coping, we observed that the active behavioral component of stress coping is associated with increases in activity along a circuit involving the caudal mPFC and midbrain dorsolateral periaqueductal gray (PAG). Optogenetic manipulations of the caudal mPFC-to-dorsolateral PAG pathway bidirectionally modulated active (escape and defensive burying) behaviors, distinct from a rostral mPFC–ventrolateral PAG circuit that instead limited passive (immobility) behavior. Strikingly, under conditions that biased rats toward a passive coping response set, including exaggerated stress hormonal output and increased immobility, excitation of the caudal mPFC–dorsolateral PAG projection significantly attenuated each of these features. These results lend insight into how the brain coordinates response features to overcome passive coping and may be of importance for understanding how activated neural systems promote stress resilience.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Activity in a prefrontal-periaqueductal gray circuit overcomes behavioral and endocrine features of the passive coping stress response
- Creators
- Shane B Johnson - University of IowaRyan T Lingg - University of IowaTimothy D Skog - University of IowaDalton C Hinz - University of IowaSara A Romig-Martin - University of IowaVictor Viau - University of British ColumbiaNandakumar S Narayanan - University of IowaJason J Radley - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS, Vol.119(44), pp.e2210783119-e2210783119
- DOI
- 10.1073/pnas.2210783119
- PMID
- 36306326
- PMCID
- PMC9636920
- NLM abbreviation
- Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
- eISSN
- 1091-6490
- Grant note
- DOI: 10.13039/100000025, name: HHS | NIH | National Institute of Mental Health, award: R01 MH119106; DOI: 10.13039/100000025, name: HHS | NIH | National Institute of Mental Health, award: R56 MH095972; name: Brain and behavioral Research Foundation, award: NARSAD Independent Investigator Grant
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 11/01/2022
- Academic Unit
- Neurology; Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute
- Record Identifier
- 9984309759602771
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