Project Summary

Tammy J. Sajdyk, Ph.D. (Independent Investigator 2007) of Indiana University, observes that neuropeptide Y (NPY) is known for its broad spectrum of anti-stress effects mediated via the amygdala. She has shown that daily administration of NPY in adult male rats for five days induces long-term anxiolytic-like behavior. This has suggested that NPY promotes long-term resilience to stress, and also a decrease in locomotor sensitivity to cocaine (suggesting a reduced vulnerability for addiction). Noting that individuals with mental illnesses, such as mood, anxiety and substance abuse disorders, often have a previous history of early life trauma which underlies their vulnerability to the development of their illness, and reasoning that NPY induces long-term stress resilience, she proposes to determine whether inoculating adolescent rats with NPY-induced resilient effects will protect them against stress-induced disorders in young adulthood. The hypothesis will be tested by assessing adolescent rats with or without NPY-induced resilience “inoculation” in stress-induced social dysfunction and depressive-like behaviors, as well as locomotor sensitivity to cocaine.

Program Area: MULTIPLE FOCUS\Anxiety Disorders/Mood Disorders\Anxiety Disorders/Bipolar\Substance Abuse

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