Chronic Stress Shifts Effort-Related Choice Behavior in a Y-Maze Barrier Task in Mice

This protocol allows researchers to examine the effects of chronic stress on effortful responding in both male and female mice. An advantage of this technique is that both male and female mice can simultaneously undergo a validated chronic social defeat paradigm allowing reward behaviors to be directly compared. Historically, preclinical research into mood disorders has utilized behavioral tasks that involve avoidance of threatening environments.

However, reward and motivation tasks, such as effort-related choice, may offer more translational relevance. To prepare the vehicle solution, dissolve 3.375 grams of beta-cyclodextrin in 750 milliliters of tap water in a one liter screw top glass container. To prepare the corticosterone solution, dissolve 3.375 grams of beta-cyclodextrin in 750 milliliters of tap water, followed by the addition of 26.25 milligrams of corticosterone.