Stress-Alternatives Model

in the

Summers' Laboratory of Molecular Neuropsychoecoendochemistry

Figure 1. - Historical Iterations of the Stress Alternatives Model (SAM). A) The SAM was first tested with rainbow trout in the water tank where the animals are fed. An opaque divider was used to separate the larger aggressor and intruder prior to interaction; its removal coincided with cessation of water flow (conditioned stimulus). A second opaque divider allows access to the escape hole, located near the top of the water column, which leads to the safety chamber (only accessible to the smaller animal). B) Initial experiments with rats utilized a rectangular arena, and a single escape hole and safety chamber. A second escape hole and safety chamber where added to prevent the larger aggressive animal from blocking access to the safety chamber. C) Golden hamsters reliably escape social aggression, and this version of the SAM was designed to study the effect of forced interaction and submission versus escape. A divider was used to block access to the escape hole and safety chamber for smaller individuals which were forced to submit to the larger aggressor. D) Mouse experiments in the SAM led to its current iteration, featuring an oval interaction arena and two escape holes and safety chambers (dimensions shown). An opaque cylindrical divider is removed in conjunction with a tone (CS) prior to interaction between smaller and larger aggressive animals. The size of the interaction arena is adjustable to facilitate interaction between the animals.

Carpenter RE, B Sabirzhanov, TR Summers, TG Clark, J Keifer and CH Summers 2023 Anxiolytic reversal of classically conditioned / 
	chronic stress-induced gene expression and learning in the Stress Alternatives Model. Behavioural Brain Research 
	114258: 440: 1-10 

Yaeger JDW, KT Krupp, TR Summers, CH Summers 2022 Contextual generalization of social stress learning is modulated by
	orexin receptors in basolateral amygdala. Neuropharmacology 215: 109168:1-12

Yaeger JDW, KT Krupp, BM Jacobs, BO Onserio, BL Meyerink,  JT Cain, PJ Ronan, KJ Renner, RJ DiLeone, CH Summers  2022 
	Orexin 1 receptor antagonism in basolateral amygdala shifts the balance from pro- to anti-stress signaling and behavior. 
	Biological Psychiatry 91: 841-852

Korzan WJ and CH Summers 2021 Evolution of stress responses refine mechanisms of social rank. 
	Neurobiology of Stress 100328: 1-19

Pang T, JDW Yaeger, CH Summers, and R Mitra 2021 Cardinal role of the environment in stress induced changes
	across life stages and generations. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews 124: 137-150 

Yaeger JDW, KT Krupp, JJ Gale, CH Summers 2020 Counter-balanced microcircuits for Orx1 and Orx2 regulation
	of stress reactivity. Medicine in Drug Discovery 100059:  1-20

Summers CH, JDW Yaeger, CD Staton, DH Arendt, TR Summers 2020 Orexin/hypocretin receptor modulation of anxiolytic and antidepressive 
	responses during social stress and decision-making: potential for therapy. Brain Research 1731: 146085: 1-15

Staton CD, JDW Yaeger, DD Khalid, F Haroun, BS Fernandez, JS Fernandez, BK Summers, TR Summers, M Sathyanesan, 
	SS Newton, CH Summers 2018 Orexin 2 receptor stimulation enhances resilience, while orexin 2 inhibition promotes 
	susceptibility, to social stress, anxiety and depression. Neuropharmacology 143: 79-94.

Robertson JM, JK Achua, JP Smith, MA Prince, CD Staton, PJ Ronan, TR Summers, CH Summers 2017 Anxious behavior induces 
	elevated hippocampal Cb2 receptor gene expression.  Neuroscience 352: 273-284

Summers TR, TL Summers,  RE Carpenter,  JP Smith,  SL Young,  B Meyerink,  TZ Orr,  DH Arendt, and  CH Summers 2017 Learning and CRF-induced 
	indecision during escape and submission in rainbow trout during socially aggressive interactions in the Stress-Alternatives Model
	Frontiers in Neuroscience 11: 515: 1-13

Smith JP, MA Prince, JK Achua, JM Robertson, RT Anderson, PJ Ronan, CH Summers 2016 Intensity of anxiety is modified via complex
 	integrative stress circuitries. Psychoneuroendocrinology 63: 351-361
    
Robertson JM, MA Prince, JK Achua, RE Carpenter, DH Arendt, JP Smith, TL Summers, TR Summers, CH Summers 2015 Nuance and behavioral
	cogency: How the Visible Burrow System inspired the Stress-Alternatives Model and conceptualization of the continuum of anxiety.
 	Physiology and Behavior 146: 86-97 
    
Pearson BL, JN Crawley, D Eilam, N Pentkowski, CH Summers 2017  Curiosity as an approach to ethoexperimental analysis: 
	Behavioral neuroscience as seen by students and colleagues of Bob Blanchard Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews :

Neuroscience Group at USD                     Biology Department                     Summers' Biology Webpage                     Summers' Course Offerings                     Contact Us