The Role of the Habenular GABAergic System in Social Stress Susceptibility in Adult Male Nile tilapia (Oreochromis Niloticus)

Social stress is the largest source of stress in humans, often leading to diseases and negative consequences such as social avoidance and anxiety. The habenula is a brain area that is found to be hyperactivated with social stress exposure. However, the neuronal mechanism underlying the habenular hyperactivity is still unclear. A group of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic interneurons were discovered in the habenula. The GABAergic system is known to be impacted by stress leading to negative behavioural outputs. The study examines how the habenular GABAergic system modulates social stress response, potentially guiding new treatments for stress-related behavioural disorders.