Short-term environmental enrichment induces ‘resilience to chronic stress’ in adulthood (A study traversing behavioural, neuronal and molecular plasticity in brain)

In mammals, expression of fear is an adaptive trait that safeguards individuals from natural threats including predators. However, this expression can be exacerbated by chronic stress into manifestation of negative valence such as anxiety, leading to mental disorders. The potentiation of anxiety is...

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Main Author: Kolikil, Archana Ashokan
Other Authors: Rupshi Mitra
Format: Theses and Dissertations
Language:English
Published: 2017
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Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10356/72334
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Institution: Nanyang Technological University
Language: English
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spelling sg-ntu-dr.10356-723342023-02-28T18:44:33Z Short-term environmental enrichment induces ‘resilience to chronic stress’ in adulthood (A study traversing behavioural, neuronal and molecular plasticity in brain) Kolikil, Archana Ashokan Rupshi Mitra School of Biological Sciences DRNTU::Science::Biological sciences In mammals, expression of fear is an adaptive trait that safeguards individuals from natural threats including predators. However, this expression can be exacerbated by chronic stress into manifestation of negative valence such as anxiety, leading to mental disorders. The potentiation of anxiety is primarily associated with neuronal changes in the basolateral amygdala (BLA). Stress-induced hyperactivation of BLA in the form of dendritic reorganisation corresponds to precipitation of anxiety-states in adult male rats. This study shows that short-term environmental enrichment (EE) in adulthood is sufficient to counter anxiety-related pathologies induced by chronic stress. Stressed subjects housed in EE show lowered anxiety in contrast to those housed in standard-conditions. They differ in dendritic reorganization in the form of lowered spine-density compared to their stressed counterparts without EE. Furthermore, compared to the latter, the EE-exposed stressed animals also differ in protein-expression of activated glucocorticoid-receptors, and pro - brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which play an important role in mediating stress-response. These observations suggest that short-term EE can potentially cultivate resilience in adulthood against stress-induced pathologies at behavioural, neuronal, and molecular levels. ​Doctor of Philosophy (SBS) 2017-06-08T02:33:58Z 2017-06-08T02:33:58Z 2017 Thesis Kolikil, A. A. (2017). Short-term environmental enrichment induces ‘resilience to chronic stress’ in adulthood (A study traversing behavioural, neuronal and molecular plasticity in brain). Doctoral thesis, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. http://hdl.handle.net/10356/72334 10.32657/10356/72334 en 213 p. application/pdf
institution Nanyang Technological University
building NTU Library
continent Asia
country Singapore
Singapore
content_provider NTU Library
collection DR-NTU
language English
topic DRNTU::Science::Biological sciences
spellingShingle DRNTU::Science::Biological sciences
Kolikil, Archana Ashokan
Short-term environmental enrichment induces ‘resilience to chronic stress’ in adulthood (A study traversing behavioural, neuronal and molecular plasticity in brain)
description In mammals, expression of fear is an adaptive trait that safeguards individuals from natural threats including predators. However, this expression can be exacerbated by chronic stress into manifestation of negative valence such as anxiety, leading to mental disorders. The potentiation of anxiety is primarily associated with neuronal changes in the basolateral amygdala (BLA). Stress-induced hyperactivation of BLA in the form of dendritic reorganisation corresponds to precipitation of anxiety-states in adult male rats. This study shows that short-term environmental enrichment (EE) in adulthood is sufficient to counter anxiety-related pathologies induced by chronic stress. Stressed subjects housed in EE show lowered anxiety in contrast to those housed in standard-conditions. They differ in dendritic reorganization in the form of lowered spine-density compared to their stressed counterparts without EE. Furthermore, compared to the latter, the EE-exposed stressed animals also differ in protein-expression of activated glucocorticoid-receptors, and pro - brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which play an important role in mediating stress-response. These observations suggest that short-term EE can potentially cultivate resilience in adulthood against stress-induced pathologies at behavioural, neuronal, and molecular levels.
author2 Rupshi Mitra
author_facet Rupshi Mitra
Kolikil, Archana Ashokan
format Theses and Dissertations
author Kolikil, Archana Ashokan
author_sort Kolikil, Archana Ashokan
title Short-term environmental enrichment induces ‘resilience to chronic stress’ in adulthood (A study traversing behavioural, neuronal and molecular plasticity in brain)
title_short Short-term environmental enrichment induces ‘resilience to chronic stress’ in adulthood (A study traversing behavioural, neuronal and molecular plasticity in brain)
title_full Short-term environmental enrichment induces ‘resilience to chronic stress’ in adulthood (A study traversing behavioural, neuronal and molecular plasticity in brain)
title_fullStr Short-term environmental enrichment induces ‘resilience to chronic stress’ in adulthood (A study traversing behavioural, neuronal and molecular plasticity in brain)
title_full_unstemmed Short-term environmental enrichment induces ‘resilience to chronic stress’ in adulthood (A study traversing behavioural, neuronal and molecular plasticity in brain)
title_sort short-term environmental enrichment induces ‘resilience to chronic stress’ in adulthood (a study traversing behavioural, neuronal and molecular plasticity in brain)
publishDate 2017
url http://hdl.handle.net/10356/72334
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