Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is,
arguably, the most salient example of fear and chronic stress shaping
the condition of prey individuals (Clinchy et al. 2013). A
suitable animal model should utilize stressors that emulate behavioural,
physiological and neurological responses elicited by a predator (Rosen
and Schulkin, 1998; Rosenboom et al. , 2007; Stam, 2007; Armarioet al. 2008). Predator exposure often elicits long-lasting
effects, including anxiety-like behaviours, glucocorticoid alteration,
dendritic morphological change, gene expression and the release of
corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) in the amygdala (Adamec &
Shallow 1993; Schulkin et al. 2005; Rosenboom et al. 2007;
Takahashi et al. 2005; Staples et al. 2009).