A, experimental timeline for viral injections, UCMS protocol, behavioral assays, and physiological evaluations. B, sucrose consumption during a 1-hour SCT. Reported as amount of sucrose drunk in grams. Two-way ANOVA, F1,35=6.445, P=0.016. C, percent weight change from baseline during the UCMS paradigm was measured on days 7, 21, and 35. Two-way repeated measures ANOVA, F9,105 = 4.99 P<0.0001 (a= P < 0.05 for stress-Cre compared to all other groups, b = P < 0.05 for stress-GFP compared to all other groups, and c = P < 0.0001 for stress-GFP compared to all other groups). D, the core body temperature was decreased in the stress-GFP group compared to the no stress-GFP control group (P = 0.005) and the stress-Cre groups (P = 0.01), but there was no difference between the stress- Cre and no stress-Cre groups. Two-way ANOVA, F1, 35 = 6.546, P = 0.0150.