Luca Carnevali1, Rosario Statello1, Andrea Sgoifo2. 1. Department of Chemistry, Stress Physiology Lab, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, 43124, Parma, Italy. 2. Department of Chemistry, Stress Physiology Lab, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, 43124, Parma, Italy. andrea.sgoifo@unipr.it.
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review offers a perspective of the utility of rodent models of stress for identifying sources of individual vulnerability to depression and cardiovascular disease comorbidity. RECENT FINDINGS: Differential stress susceptibility is found in rodents exposed to repeated social defeat as a function of their coping style. Specifically, passive coping rodents show an increase in inflammatory processes within the brain that favour the development of depressive-like symptoms and cardiovascular abnormalities. Similarly, only a sub-group of rats develops depressive-like symptoms following chronic mild stress exposure. Cardiovascular changes differ depending on individual stress susceptibility and may be related to an imbalance in the autonomic regulation of cardiac function in stress vulnerable subjects. Rodent models of stress that take into account individual phenotypic variations are useful for a better understanding of the role of neuroinflammatory and autonomic processes in the development of comorbid depression and cardiovascular disease under stressful conditions.
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review offers a perspective of the utility of rodent models of stress for identifying sources of individual vulnerability to depression and cardiovascular disease comorbidity. RECENT FINDINGS: Differential stress susceptibility is found in rodents exposed to repeated social defeat as a function of their coping style. Specifically, passive coping rodents show an increase in inflammatory processes within the brain that favour the development of depressive-like symptoms and cardiovascular abnormalities. Similarly, only a sub-group of rats develops depressive-like symptoms following chronic mild stress exposure. Cardiovascular changes differ depending on individual stress susceptibility and may be related to an imbalance in the autonomic regulation of cardiac function in stress vulnerable subjects. Rodent models of stress that take into account individual phenotypic variations are useful for a better understanding of the role of neuroinflammatory and autonomic processes in the development of comorbid depression and cardiovascular disease under stressful conditions.