Enhanced Risky Choice in Male Rats Elicited by the Acute Pharmacological Stressor Yohimbine Involves Prefrontal Dopamine D1 Receptor Activation.

Background: Acute stress alters risk-based decision-making; however, the underlying neural and neurochemical substrates are underexplored. Given their well-documented stress-inducing effects in humans and laboratory animals, glucocorticoids such as cortisol and corticosterone and the α2-adrenoceptor antagonist yohimbine represent potent pharmacological tools to mimic some characteristics of acute stress.

Methods: Here, we analyzed the effects of the pharmacological stressors corticosterone and yohimbine given systemically on risk-based decision-making in male rats.