Chronic stress selectively reduces hippocampal volume in rats: a longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging study. Neuroreport 2009 Nov 25;20(17):1554-8
Date
10/28/2009Pubmed ID
19858767Pubmed Central ID
PMC2783199DOI
10.1097/WNR.0b013e328332bb09Scopus ID
2-s2.0-75149158523 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 141 CitationsAbstract
The notion of uncontrollable stress causing reduced hippocampal size remains controversial in the posttraumatic stress disorder literature, because human studies cannot discern the causality of effect. Here, we addressed this issue by using structural magnetic resonance imaging in rats to measure the hippocampus and other brain regions before and after stress. Chronic restraint stress produced approximately 3% reduction in hippocampal volume, which was not observed in control rats. This decrease was not signficantly correlated with baseline hippocampal volume or body weight. Total forebrain volume and the sizes of the other brain regions and adrenal glands were all unaffected by stress. This longitudinal, within-subjects design study provides direct evidence that the hippocampus is differentially vulnerable and sensitive to chronic stress.
Author List
Lee T, Jarome T, Li SJ, Kim JJ, Helmstetter FJAuthors
Fred Helmstetter PhD Professor in the Psychology / Neuroscience department at University of Wisconsin - MilwaukeeShi-Jiang Li PhD, MS Emeritus Professor in the Biophysics department at Medical College of Wisconsin
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AnimalsAtrophy
Body Weight
Chronic Disease
Disease Models, Animal
Hippocampus
Longitudinal Studies
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Memory Disorders
Neuropsychological Tests
Prosencephalon
Rats
Rats, Long-Evans
Stress, Psychological
