Psychological stress is a process in which the body is stimulated by various internal and external environmental factors, through recognition and evaluation, and the process of perceiving changes in the psychological and physiological functions caused by the threat of the stressor. In Chinese medicine, the liver governs venting and flirting emotions. The state of psychological stress mostly belongs to the category of "Stagnation of the liver" in TCM, including stagnation of liver qi and stagnation of liver qi, transforming liver depression into fire.
[Modeling mechanism] Commonly used stressors of psychological stress animal models that have been developed include restraint and immobilization, conditioned reflex foot shock, social deprivation (such as isolated feeding), and maternal behavioral stress (pregnancy, childbirth, lactation) Etc.), pain, psychosocial stress (crowding, deprivation of control) and conditioned fear, heat stimulation, swimming in cold water, deprivation of sleep, pinching, etc.
[Modeling method] Experimental animals: Wistar male rats.
Model 1-Single-cage feeding method with neck shackle: Use a self-made neck shackle sleeve to wrap the neck of Wistar rats for 7-10 days. The mold will affect the rat's daytime activities such as grooming and scratching, which will cause the rats to feel emotional. Chi changes.
Model 2-Tail-clamping irritation fighting method: The method of tail-clamping stimulus to trigger a fight in rats was modeled. Male Wistar outbred rats weighing 300-400g were used. Three to seven rats were placed in the same cage. Clamp the tail of one of the rats with gauze-wrapped hemostatic forceps and make it fight with others, thereby irritating the whole cage rat. Each stimulation is 30 minutes, once every 3 hours, 4 times/day .
Model 3-binding method: tie the limbs of the rat with a thin strip of bandage, put it in a breeding cage, make it difficult to walk, and restrict movement, then observe and record the state of the rat regularly, and give the same amount of normal saline to the stomach, 2 times a day , 7 consecutive days. The observation indicators are the observation of general biological state.
【Features of the model】Model 1: At the beginning of the modeling, the rats were irritable, biting the mold, bumping into the cage, irritable, but no overreactions such as standing upright hissing. After 7-10 days, the rats reacted and behaved. Sluggishness, gradual decrease in activity, listlessness, withered fur, small eyes, squinted eyes or even red eyes, less dry feces, less tired food, dark claw nails, red-brown tail, with scales, curled up, Symptoms such as drowsiness. It is basically consistent with the clinical manifestations of liver depression.
Model 2: After 2 days, the rat's violent tearing weakened, drinking and eating were also significantly reduced, and even without eating or drinking, most of them were in a state of drowsiness, the hair became dark, yellow, and weight loss.
Model 3: The model rats have significantly reduced activities, squeaking, drooping beards, dull eyes, dark red eyes, reduced diet, avoidance responses to irritation, changes in emotions and behaviors.
[Model Evaluation and Application] The liver is hilarious and depressed, and any cause that affects the unobstructed liver qi can be regarded as a psychological stressor. Under a certain amount of stimulation, it leads to liver failure and liver depression symptoms. When the human body is under stress, the liver regulates blood through smooth muscle diastolic and contraction exercises to ensure the perfusion of important organs such as heart, brain, and kidney. Although the concept of liver in Chinese and Western medicine is not exactly the same, it is involved in psychological stress response. There are more similarities. Yue Guangxin and others believe that the psychological stress response involves the five internal organs, but the heart, liver, and kidneys are the most important. The liver is responsible for the decision-making instructions passed down by the heart, causing the contraction of smooth muscles and the redistribution of blood. It also affects the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands. The cortical axis increases the secretion of adrenal cortex hormones, which is the core of the formation of psychological stress response. The kidneys mainly use adrenal cortex hormones to complete the adaptive response to psychological stress, and affect the sensitivity of the heart and liver to its regulation, suggesting the five internal organs of Chinese medicine The material basis involved in the stress response. Therefore, the animal model can be used for research on etiology, pathogenesis, and five internal organs.