The immediate early gene Arc is associated with behavioral resilience to stress exposure in an animal model of posttraumatic stress disorder

Nitsan Kozlovsky, Michael A. Matar, Zeev Kaplan, Moshe Kotler, Joseph Zohar, Hagit Cohen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

48 Scopus citations

Abstract

Mechanisms involved in adaptative and maladaptive changes in neural plasticity and synaptic efficacy in various brain areas are pivotal to understanding the physiology of the response to stress and the pathophysiology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Activity-regulated cytoskeletal-associated protein (Arc) is an effector immediate early gene (IEG) which has direct effects on intracellular homeostatic functions. Increased expression of Arc has been associated with increased neuronal activity and with consolidation of long-term memory. It may thus play an important role in mediating experience-induced reorganization and/or development of synaptic connections. This study sought to characterize the pattern of expression of mRNA for the Arc gene in selected brain areas of test subjects classified according to their individual pattern of behavioral response to a stressor, correlated with circulating levels of corticosterone (as a physiological marker of stress response). The hippocampal CA1 and CA3 subregions of individuals whose behavior was minimally or partially disrupted in response to predator scent stress demonstrated significantly increased levels of mRNA for Arc, compared to unexposed controls. The group whose behavior was severely disrupted demonstrated no such upregulation. Consistent with the hypothesis that the Arc gene has a promoting effect on neuronal function and/or structural changes, the lack of Arc expression in the behaviorally and physiologically more severely affected individuals raises the possibility that Arc may be associated with resilience and/or recovery after stress exposure.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)107-116
Number of pages10
JournalEuropean Neuropsychopharmacology
Volume18
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Feb 2008
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Activity-regulated cytoskeletal-associated protein
  • Animal model
  • Corticosterone
  • Immediate early gene
  • Neural plasticity
  • Posttraumatic stress disorder
  • Synaptic efficacy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pharmacology
  • Neurology
  • Clinical Neurology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health
  • Biological Psychiatry
  • Pharmacology (medical)

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