Behavioural changes after different stress paradigms: prepulse inhibition increased after physical, but not emotional stress

Physical (PS) and emotional (ES) stress have opposite long-term effects on open field behaviour, i.e., response to novelty. PS induced a long-term reduction in locomotor activity, while ES increased it. Additionally, sensitivity to rewarding stimuli was differentially affected by PS and ES. Whether the stress effects were specific for locomotor activity and reward or if these two stress treatments also have differential effects on other behaviours and brain functions is not known. In the present study, temperature regulation, sensory gating, learning capacity, locomotor activity and coping style were examined. PS consisted of a repeated mild foot shock treatment, which the ES animals witnessed. The tests pose additional challenges, to which all groups can respond differently depending on their previous experience. All tests were performed several days after the last stress treatment. Stress effects were specifically observed on locomotor activity, startle response and prepulse inhibition (PPI). The PS animals showed a potentiated inhibition of the startle when a prepulse (PPI) was used, although the initial startle response was already significantly lower than that of controls. ES animals did not differ from controls on PPI and startle. Additionally PS animals showed an initial decrease in activity, which turned into an increase when the tests continued. ES showed a constant increase in activity compared to controls. Stress effects on the tests for other brain processes and behaviour were not found. In addition, PS animals appeared to be less sensitive to the dopamine agonist apomorphine than control animal. In summary, physical and emotional stress induce differential changes on locomotor activity, startle response and PPI. Underlying mechanisms explaining the differences in stress effects are discussed, i.e., the role of the mesolimbic dopamine system and opioid systems.