Abstract
A model system consisting of two rat strains bred for nervous system excitability in response to electric shocks was used to study changes in the number density of neurons in hippocampal field CA3 at 24 h, two weeks, and two and six months after prolonged emotional-pain stress (PEPS). Neuron density in hippocampal field CA3 decreased after completion of PEPS. These changes arose at different time points in the different rat strains (one day for low-excitability rats, two months for high-excitability rats) and persisted to six months. Thus, this is the first demonstration that persistent differential effects of stress on the number density of neurons in hippocampal field CA3, which plays an important role in learning and memory processes, depend on genetically determined constitutive characteristics of the nervous system.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
A. I. Vaido, Physiological-Genetic Analysis of Nervous System Excitability and Behavior in Laboratory Rats [in Russian], Author’s Abstract of Doctoral Thesis in Biological Sciences, St. Petersburg (2000).
N. V. Shiryaeva, A. I. Vaido, and N. G. Lopatina, “Long-delayed effects of neuroticization on behavior in rats differing in terms of nervous system excitability,” Zh. Vyssh. Nerv. Deyat., 46, No. 1, 157–162 (1996).
R. D. Alarcon, C. G. Glover, and C. G. Deering, “The cascade model: an alternative to comorbidity. I. The pathogenesis of posttraumatic stress disorder,” Psychiatry, 62, No. 2, 114–125 (1999).
J. D. Bremner, “Neuroimaging of posttraumatic stress disorder,” Psych. Annals, 28, No. 8, 445–446 (1998).
J. D. Bremner, “Hypotheses and controversies related to effects of stress on hippocampus: an argument for stress-induced damage of the hippocampus in patient with posttraumatic stress disorder,” Hippocampus, 11, 121–124 (2001).
K. Hecht, K. Treptov, K. Choinovski, and M. Peschel, Die Raumzeitliche Organization der Reiz-Reaktion-Beziehungen Bedingtreflectorischer Prozesse, Fischer, Jena (1972).
B. S. McEwen and A. M. Magarinos, “Stress effects on morphology and function of the hippocampus,” Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., 21, No. 821, 271–274 (1997).
A. C. McFarlane, “Traumatic stress in the 21st century,” Aust. N.Z. J. Psychiatry, 34, No. 6, 896–902 (2000).
A. C. McFarlane, R. Yehuda, and C. R. Clark, “Biologic models of traumatic memories and post-traumatic stress disorder. The role of neural networks,” Psychiatr. Clin. Amer., 25, 253–270 (2002).
K. Mizoguchi, T. Kanishita, D. H. Chui, and T. Tabira, “Stress induces neuronal death in the hippocampus of rats,” Neurosci. Lett., 138, No. 1, 157–160 (1992).
R. M. Sapolsky, “Atrophy of hippocampus in posttraumatic stress disorder: how and when,” Hippocampus, No. 11, 90–91 (2001).
G. K. Volmann-Honsdorf, G. Flugge, and E. Fuchs, “Chronic psychosocial stress does not affect the number of pyramidal neurons in tree shrew hippocampus,” Neurosci. Lett., 233, No. 2–3, 121–124 (1997).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
__________
Translated from Morfologiya, Vol. 131, No. 2, pp. 46–48, March–April, 2007.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Shiryaeva, N.V., Vshivtseva, V.V., Mal’tsev, N.A. et al. Neuron density in the hippocampus in rat strains with contrasting nervous system excitability after prolonged emotional-pain stress. Neurosci Behav Physi 38, 355–357 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11055-008-0049-4
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11055-008-0049-4