We describe a rat model of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that reveals the persistent alterations in neuroendocrine function and the delayed long-term, exaggerated fear response, characteristic of PTSD patients. The animal model and methods described here are useful for correlating biomarkers in brain nuclei, which are mechanistic but cannot be measured in patients, with biomarkers in peripheral white blood cells, which can.
Total time
~3–5 days (stress induction + behavioral testing + biological sampling)
Model organism
Rat (strain not specified)
Steps
1
Stress animals using PTSD-induction protocol
Apply controlled stressor to rats to establish PTSD phenotype with persistent neuroendocrine and behavioral alterations characteristic of clinical PTSD.
▶ 02:41
2
Assess PTSD behavioral phenotype in rats
Measure exaggerated fear response and delayed behavioral changes using standardized testing to confirm PTSD-like symptoms.
▶ 04:09
3
Quantify plasma corticosterone concentration
Extract and analyze plasma CORT levels as a neuroendocrine biomarker of PTSD-related stress axis dysfunction.
▶ 05:37
4
Document physiological changes in PTSD model
Record typical neuroendocrine and hematologic alterations in the rat model to validate persistence of PTSD-like pathology.
▶ 07:01