Source Paper
Propranolol Administration During Morphine Addiction Attenuates Reinstatement of Drug-Aversive Memories Caused by Exposure to Stressful Stimuli
Cánovas-Cabanes A, Teruel-Fernández FJ, Fernández-López L, Martínez-Laorden E, Navarro-Zaragoza J et al.
Pharmaceuticals (Basel) • 2025
Social Defeat Stress
Objective: To assess the impact of social stress on the reinstatement of naloxone-induced CPA using agonistic encounters
Protocol Steps
Aggressor preparation
House potential aggressors individually and screen for high levels of aggressive behavior with prior fighting experience
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“These aggressors were previously housed individually, screened for high levels of aggressive behavior, and had prior fighting experience”
Propranolol administration (if applicable)
Administer propranolol (10 mg/kg, i.p.) or vehicle 30 minutes prior to social defeat procedure
View evidence from paper
“a subset of mice received an acute injection of propranolol (10 mg/kg, i.p.) 30 min prior to the social defeat procedure”
Social defeat exposure
Expose experimental mice to a 15-minute agonistic encounter with an aggressor of similar age and weight
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“mice were exposed to a 15-min agonistic encounter with an aggressor of similar age and weight”
Verify defeat response
Confirm that experimental mice display defensive and submissive behaviors including avoidance or fleeing, with attacks initiated within 30 seconds
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“experimental mice displayed characteristic defensive and submissive behaviors, including avoidance or fleeing”
Control group exposure
Expose control mice to a non-aggressive social encounter with a familiar conspecific for 15 minutes in a neutral transparent cage
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“an additional group of mice was exposed to a non-aggressive social encounter with a familiar conspecific previously housed in a group”
Reinstatement test
Conduct reinstatement test 15 minutes after exposure to psychosocial stress
View evidence from paper
“Fifteen minutes after exposure to psychosocial stress, all animals were subjected to the reinstatement test”