Transcriptomic response to dexamethasone after chronic social defeat stress in dorsal raphe nucleus

An elevated level of glucocorticoid (GC) hormones in the blood initially causes an acute reaction of the body, which subsequently fades, even with continued stimulation with glucocorticoids. It is known that the degree of resistance to elevated hormone levels can affect the effectiveness of therapy in the treatment of stress-induced psychopathologies.

In order to identify the molecular basis for the formation of GC resistance, we analyzed the effect of chronic social stress on the transcriptome of the dorsal raphe nuclei in an experimental model of depression. We assessed the level of gene expression in the dorsal raphe nuclei of the control C57BL/6 mice and mice with stress experience for 30 days, both in the basal state and with additional stimulation with dexamethasone.