Differential anxiety-related behaviours and brain activation in Tph2-deficient female mice exposed to adverse early environment

Anxiety disorders represent one of the most prevalent mental disorders in today's society and early adversity has been identified as major contributor to anxiety-related pathologies. Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) is implicated in mediating the effects of early-life events on anxiety-like behaviours. In order to further elucidate the interaction of genetic predisposition and adversity in early, developmental stages on anxiety-related behaviours, the current study employed tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (Tph2) –deficient female mice, as a model for lifelong brain 5-HT synthesis deficiency.

Source: European Neuropsychopharmacology - August 23, 2018 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Charlotte S Auth, Magdalena T Weidner, Sandy Popp, Tatyana Strekalova, Angelika G Schmitt-B öhrer, Daniel LA van den Hove, Klaus-Peter Lesch, Jonas Waider Source Type: research