Modelling social fear in mice: advancements in social fear conditioning and social defeat paradigms.

Abstract

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a common and chronic mental illness whose pathogenesis is not yet fully understood, and treatment responses are often suboptimal. Animal models play a crucial role in elucidating its neurobiological mechanisms and developing novel therapeutic approaches. This article systematically reviews two primary mouse modelling paradigms: social fear conditioning (SFC) and social defeat. The SFC model induces specific social fear behaviors by pairing a social stimulus with an aversive event, whereas the social defeat model, by simulating social conflict and psychological stress, more closely mirrors the ecological validity of human SAD. This review also examines recent advancements in these models, including automation, standardization, behavioral specificity, and the enhancement of psychological components. Furthermore, it outlines future directions for model development, including modelling genetic susceptibility, investigating the role of gut microbiota in conjunction with genetic factors, and examining sex differences. The continuous refinement of these models provides powerful tools for deepening our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying SAD and for screening effective interventions.