Chronic exposure to immobilized stress induces memory impairment and produces other behavioral deficits in male rats

Abstract

Stress is one of the leading disorders in today’s world. It is the body’s natural response against uncertain circumstances that is produced in response to a stimulus that can be physiological or neurochemical. Immobilized stress is the condition in which the body is placed under a physical or physiological stressor that results in inducing changes in the body’s normal state. In the present study, rats were treated with immobilized stress. 12 locally bred Albino Wistar rats were taken and categorized into 2 groups; control and test. Immobilized stress was given using restrainers. Behavioral tests were performed to see the effect of immobilized stress; the Morris water maze test was used to evaluate the working memory functions, elevated plus maze test for anxiety-like effects and depression-like symptoms was assessed by using the force swimming test. Results indicated that the immobilized stress to test animals leads to the impairment of working memory functions; simultaneously anxiety was also induced in the immobilized animals. Results also showed immobilized stress-induced depression-like symptoms. In conclusion, immobilized stress exhibits memory impairment which indicates that immobilized stress results in other substantial behavioral deficits in rats.