Abstract
Anxiety disorders can impair cognition and emotional control, particularly in the face of novel situations, which is concerning due to the high prevalence of such diagnoses. Exposure to unpredictable chronic stress can provide a way to induce anxiety-like behaviors in rodents by disrupting the stress response systems, including the HPA axis and autonomic nervous system. Pharmacological treatments, including SNRIs like venlafaxine, and voluntary exercise are both anxiolytic treatments that can alleviate the impacts of chronic stress. Using unpredictable chronic stress to mimic the human condition, and exposure to venlafaxine and exercise to mitigate the stress, the open field and elevated plus maze were used to assess anxious-like behaviors in Sprague-Dawley rats. It was hypothesized that chronic stress administration would induce anxious-like behaviors in the rodents and that implementing venlafaxine, exercise, or both would decrease anxiety behaviors. Chronic stress did cause an increase in anxious behaviors measured by the open field and elevated plus maze, supporting the effectiveness of unpredictable chronic stress as an anxiogenic. However, neither pharmacological nor non-pharmacological treatments decreased anxious-like behaviors when administered independently or in combination. Although the effects of treatment type were not found to be significant, it is important to consider various treatment options to best help anxiety symptoms in individuals, as anxiety is pervasive, can be debilitating, and more effective treatments are needed to help.
Advisor
Stavnezer, Amy Jo
Department
Neuroscience
Recommended Citation
McGowan, Marly, "The Effects Of Venlafaxine And Voluntary Exercise On Chronic Unpredictable Stress Induced Anxiety" (2022). Senior Independent Study Theses. Paper 10058.
https://openworks.wooster.edu/independentstudy/10058
Disciplines
Animal Studies | Applied Behavior Analysis | Behavioral Neurobiology | Experimental Analysis of Behavior | Neuroscience and Neurobiology | Other Neuroscience and Neurobiology | Other Psychology
Keywords
Anxiety, Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress, Voluntary Exercise, SNRI, Pharmacological Agent, Stress-Response, Animal Studies, Restraint Stress
Publication Date
2022
Degree Granted
Bachelor of Arts
Document Type
Senior Independent Study Thesis Exemplar
Included in
Animal Studies Commons, Applied Behavior Analysis Commons, Behavioral Neurobiology Commons, Experimental Analysis of Behavior Commons, Other Neuroscience and Neurobiology Commons, Other Psychology Commons
© Copyright 2022 Marly McGowan