Journal article
Chronic Stress-Induced Alterations of Dendritic Spine Subtypes Predict Functional Decrements in an Hypothalamo–Pituitary–Adrenal-Inhibitory Prefrontal Circuit
The Journal of neuroscience, Vol.33(36), pp.14379-14391
09/04/2013
DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0287-13.2013
PMCID: PMC3761048
PMID: 24005291
Abstract
Activation of the hypothalamo–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis plays a vital role in promoting adaptation during acute stress, but adverse effects of chronic stress may result from overactivity of this system. Recent evidence highlights a subdivision of GABAergic neurons within anterior bed nuclei of the stria terminalis (aBST) that integrates and relays inhibitory influences to HPA-effector neurons in paraventricular hypothalamus during acute stress, notably from medial prefrontal [prelimbic (PL)] and hippocampal [ventral subiculum (vSUB)] cortical fields. Here we localize the site and candidate mechanism of neuroplasticity within upstream regions of this inhibitory network after chronic variable stress (CVS). Rats bearing retrograde tracer injections in aBST underwent CVS for 14 d. Retrogradely labeled and unlabeled neurons in vSUB and PL were selected for intracellular dye filling, followed by three-dimensional imaging and analysis of dendritic arborization and spine morphometry. Whereas PL neurons displayed decreases in dendritic branching and spine density after CVS, aBST-projecting cells showed a selective loss of mature mushroom-shaped spines. In a follow-up experiment, CVS-treated and control rats were exposed to a novel restraint challenge for assay of HPA activation and engagement of aBST-projecting cortical regions. CVS animals showed enhanced HPA output and decreased Fos activation in aBST-projecting PL neurons compared with acutely stressed controls. In contrast, vSUB failed to show any significant differences in structural plasticity or functional activation patterns after CVS. These findings define a mechanism whereby synaptic destabilization in the PL → aBST pathway may dampen its ability to impart inhibitory control over the HPA axis after chronic stress exposure.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Chronic Stress-Induced Alterations of Dendritic Spine Subtypes Predict Functional Decrements in an Hypothalamo–Pituitary–Adrenal-Inhibitory Prefrontal Circuit
- Creators
- Jason J Radley - Psychology Department and Neuroscience Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242Rachel M Anderson - Psychology Department and Neuroscience Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242Bradley A Hamilton - Psychology Department and Neuroscience Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242Jennifer A Alcock - Psychology Department and Neuroscience Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242Sara A Romig-Martin - Psychology Department and Neuroscience Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- The Journal of neuroscience, Vol.33(36), pp.14379-14391
- DOI
- 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0287-13.2013
- PMID
- 24005291
- PMCID
- PMC3761048
- NLM abbreviation
- J Neurosci
- ISSN
- 0270-6474
- eISSN
- 1529-2401
- Publisher
- Society for Neuroscience
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 09/04/2013
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984002338402771
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