Sensory contact to the stressor prevents recovery from structural and functional heart damage following psychosocial trauma
Foertsch S, Lackner I, Weber B, Fuechsl AM, Langgartner D, Wirkert E, Peters S, Fois G, Pressmar J, Fegert JM, Frick M, Guendel H, Kalbitz M, Reber SO (2019)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2019
Journal
Book Volume: 80
Pages Range: 667-677
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2019.05.013
Abstract
Cardiovascular disorders (CVD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are highly comorbid, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Chronic psychosocial stress was induced in male mice by chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC), a pre-clinically validated mouse model for PTSD. Cardiac structure and function were assessed on day 20 of the CSC paradigm. Following CSC, mice were kept in different sensory contact modalities to the last aggressor for 30 days, and development of cardiac function and behavioral aspects were determined. Here we show that psychosocial trauma affects heart structure by disturbing cell-to-cell integrity of cardiomyocytes, causes tachycardia, disturbance of diurnal heart rate rhythmicity and behavioral deficits in a mouse model for PTSD. Structural and functional alterations were also found in cardiomyocytes upon in vitro treatment with pro-inflammatory cytokines typically increased after psychosocial trauma. Interestingly, sensory contact to the aggressor subsequent to psychosocial trauma prohibits functional and structural heart recovery, while isolation was beneficial for cardiac but detrimental for mental health. These findings contribute to our understanding of potential mechanisms underlying the high comorbidity of CVD and PTSD.
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Germany (DE)How to cite
APA:
Foertsch, S., Lackner, I., Weber, B., Fuechsl, A.M., Langgartner, D., Wirkert, E.,... Reber, S.O. (2019). Sensory contact to the stressor prevents recovery from structural and functional heart damage following psychosocial trauma. Brain Behavior and Immunity, 80, 667-677. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2019.05.013
MLA:
Foertsch, Sandra, et al. "Sensory contact to the stressor prevents recovery from structural and functional heart damage following psychosocial trauma." Brain Behavior and Immunity 80 (2019): 667-677.
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