Social rank influences behavior and gene activity responses to long-term stress and ketamine in male mice

Social hierarchy influences stress responses, with dominant male mice showing significant behavioral changes after chronic stress.

• Dominant individuals exhibited amplified behavioral alterations, including fragmented rest and disrupted social interactions, after experiencing chronic stress.
• A single administration of ketamine was found to reverse these behavioral changes in dominant mice.
• Bulk mRNA sequencing identified 141 differentially expressed genes in the medial prefrontal cortex of dominant, ketamine-treated mice.
• The findings suggest a complex relationship between social status and stress outcomes, as well as potential for pharmacological interventions.

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