Cited by 284Stress Responses and CortisolNeuroscience and Neuropharmacology ResearchMemory and Neural Mechanisms

Chronic Stress Causes Amygdala Hyperexcitability in Rodents

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Rosenkranz, J. Amiel, Venheim, Emily R., Padival, Mallika·2010·Biological Psychiatry

Abstract

Background Chronic stress is a major health concern, often leading to depression, anxiety, or when severe enough, posttraumatic stress disorder. While many studies demonstrate that the amygdala is hyperresponsive in patients with these disorders, the cellular neurophysiological effects of chronic stress on the systems that underlie psychiatric disorders, such as the amygdala, are relatively unknown.Methods In this study, we examined the effects of chronic stress on the activity and excitability of amygdala neurons in vivo in rats. We used in vivo intracellular recordings from single neurons of the lateral amygdala (LAT) to measure neuronal properties and determine the cellular mechanism for the effects of chronic stress on LAT neurons.Results We found a mechanism for the effects of chronic stress on amygdala activity, specifically that chronic stress increased excitability of LAT pyramidal neurons recorded in vivo. This hyperexcitability was caused by a reduction of a regulatory influence during action potential firing, facilitating LAT neuronal activity. The effects of stress on excitability were occluded by agents that block calcium-activated potassium channels and reversed by pharmacological enhancement of calcium-activated potassium channels.Conclusions These data demonstrate a specific channelopathy that occurs in the amygdala after chronic stress. This enhanced excitability of amygdala neurons after chronic stress may explain the observed hyperresponsiveness of the amygdala in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder and may facilitate the emergence of depression or anxiety in other patients.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.biopsych.2010.02.008

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  1. [26]Bennur S Chattarji S Effects of chronic stress on intrinsic and synaptic plasticity in principal neurons of the basolateral amygdala Society for Neuroscience Conference 2004 San Diego, CA Society for Neuroscience Program No. 511.2

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Authors
Rosenkranz, J. A., Venheim, E. R., & Padival, M.
Affiliations
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (US)
Corresponding author
Rosenkranz, J. Amiel
Venue
Biological Psychiatry
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2010-06
Volume
67
Issue
12
Pages
1128-1136
ISSN
0006-3223 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2084070063
Cited by
284
References
71
Citations by year
2026: 14 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 29 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 20 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 22 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 19 · 2012: 17
FWCI
6.61
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Biological Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • Brain Research Foundation
  • National Institutes of Health (MH084970)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
Keywords
chronic stress, lateral amygdala, pyramidal neurons, neuronal excitability, calcium-activated potassium channels, channelopathies, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, action potential firing, single-unit recording
MeSH terms
Action Potentials, Adrenal Glands, Amygdala, Animals, Calcium Channel Agonists, Calcium Channel Blockers, Chronic Disease, Male, Neurons, Stilbenes, Stress, Psychological, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Maze Learning, Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated, Potassium Channel Blockers, Rats

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