Fox odour affects corticosterone release but not hippocampal serotonin reuptake and open field behaviour in rats

Brain Res. 2003 Jan 24;961(1):166-70. doi: 10.1016/s0006-8993(02)03944-6.

Abstract

Group-housed Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats exposed for 1 h to 2,5-dihydro-2,4,5-trimethylthiazoline (TMT, a component of fox feces) did not display changes in hippocampal serotonin (5-HT) metabolism and [3H]5-HT reuptake, compared to water or butyric acid. Such an observation extended to isolated SD and Fischer 344 rats. When group-housed SD rats were tested 1 week after a 1-h exposure to TMT, hippocampal 5-HT metabolism, [3H]5-HT reuptake, and [3H]paroxetine binding at the 5-HT transporter remained unchanged. This study questions TMT as a specific predatory stimulus as both butyric acid and TMT increased plasma corticosterone levels whilst leaving intact open field behaviour (at least in group-housed SD rats).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism
  • Corticosterone / metabolism*
  • Foxes / physiology*
  • Hippocampus / drug effects
  • Hippocampus / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / metabolism
  • Membrane Transport Proteins*
  • Motor Activity / drug effects
  • Motor Activity / physiology*
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins*
  • Odorants*
  • Paroxetine / metabolism
  • Rats / physiology*
  • Rats, Inbred F344
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / metabolism
  • Serotonin / metabolism*
  • Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
  • Thiazoles / pharmacology

Substances

  • 2,5-dihydro-2,4,5-trimethylthiazoline
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Membrane Transport Proteins
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
  • Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors
  • Slc6a4 protein, rat
  • Thiazoles
  • Serotonin
  • Paroxetine
  • Corticosterone