Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39843825›Full record

ArticleCognitive, affective & behavioral neuroscience2025

Low emotional contagious behavior induces PTSD susceptibility in observers and is related to the regulation of oxytocin receptor in mice.

Yang Liu, Yuan Gao, Zhidong Ma, Qingge Zhang, Ruiqiang Sun, Ling Wang, Sishun Zhao, Changjiang Li, Bo Lian, Hongwei Sun and 1 more

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Article in Cognitive, affective & behavioral neuroscience, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Yang Liu *School of Psychology, Shandong Second Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong, 261053, P. R. China.
Yuan Gao *School of Psychology, Shandong Second Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong, 261053, P. R. China.
Zhidong MaSchool of Clinical Medicine, Shandong Second Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong, 261053, P. R. China.
Qingge ZhangSchool of Psychology, Shandong Second Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong, 261053, P. R. China.
Ruiqiang SunSchool of Clinical Medicine, Shandong Second Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong, 261053, P. R. China.
Ling WangClinical Competency Training Center, Medical Experiment and Training Center, Shandong Second Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, 261053, Shandong, China.
Sishun ZhaoDepartment of Spinal Surgery, Affiliated Hospital, Shandong Second Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, 261053, Shandong, China.
Changjiang LiSchool of Psychology, Shandong Second Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong, 261053, P. R. China.
Bo LianDepartment of Bioscience and Technology, Shandong Second Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, 261053, Shandong, China.
Hongwei Sun *School of Psychology, Shandong Second Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong, 261053, P. R. China. sunhw@sdsmu.edu.cn.
Lin Sun *School of Psychology, Shandong Second Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong, 261053, P. R. China. linsun2013@sdsmu.edu.cn.

Funding

Education and Teaching Reform Project of the Psychology and Education Reference Committee of the Ministry of Education 20221013Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences GJ202002National Natural Science Foundation of China 82101588Science and Technology Development Program of Weifang City 2022GX011
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious psychiatric disorder that occurs after an individual has witnessed or experienced a major traumatic event. Emotional contagion seems to play an important role in witnessing trauma, highlighting the importance of understanding the neurobiological consequences of psychological or emotional stress and its impact on the individual's mental health. Therefore, understanding the relationship between emotional contagion and PTSD susceptibility and the abnormal neurobiological and behavioral changes behind it could help find effective molecular treatment targets.

methodsThe formalin pain test was used to distinguish the level of emotional contagion in observer mice, dividing them into quartiles according to their pain response. The upper and lower quartiles were the emotional contagion-prone (ECP) and -resistant (ECR) groups, respectively. The vicarious social defeat stress (VSDS) procedure was used to establish PTSD models in mice with various emotional contagion levels when witnessing stress. Open field, elevated plus maze, social interaction test, and forced swimming test were used to examine PTSD-like symptoms. Changes in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) mRNA expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and oxytocin receptor (OTR) were detected by qPCR, and their protein levels were analyzed by Western blot and immunofluorescence staining.

resultsThe formalin pain test induced emotional contagion behaviors in mice between the ECP and ECR levels. The VSDS procedure resulted in PTSD symptoms in mice; mice in the lowest quartile were characterized by high levels of anxiety, depression, and social avoidance behaviors, such as decreased autonomous activity and residence time in the open field test or open arms position and increased immobility time and social avoidance behavior. These were accompanied by reduced OTR and BDNF protein expression levels and fluorescence intensity, as well as reduced OTR and BDNF mRNA levels in the mPFC.

conclusionsEmotional contagion can induce PTSD-like behavior in mice that witnessed stress. Low emotional contagion behavior increased PTSD susceptibility in the observer mice and might be related to the regulation of their oxytocin receptors.

Indexed as

Behavior, AnimalEmotionsPrefrontal CortexReceptors, OxytocinStress Disorders, Post-TraumaticStress, PsychologicalAnimalsBrain-Derived Neurotrophic FactorDisease Models, AnimalDisease SusceptibilityMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLSocial DefeatBdnf protein, mouseBrain-Derived Neurotrophic FactorOXTR protein, mouseReceptors, OxytocinEmotional contagionOxytocin receptorPost-traumatic stress disorderVicarious Social Defeat Stress

Identifiers

PMID39843825

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.