Chronic Stress Segregates Mice into Distinct Behavioral Phenotypes Based on Glucocorticoid Sensitivity.

ABSTRACT: Chronic stress alters hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function, affecting corticosterone regulation and adaptive responses. Understanding individual variability in stress adaptation requires identifying distinct HPA axis response patterns. Here, we assessed HPA axis sensitivity in male C57BL6 mice exposed to 30 days of chronic social defeat stress (CSDS). Negative feedback integrity was evaluated using the dexamethasone suppression test (DST), with corticosterone measured after saline or low-dose dexamethasone administration at days 10 and 30. Behavioral testing (open field, elevated plus maze, social interaction test, partition, social defeat, forced swimming test, sucrose preference test) and qPCR analysis of HPA-axis-related genes in the hypothalamus (Crh, Crhr1,

SUBMITTER: Ritter P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12692131 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature