Immobilization stress reduced the expression of neurotrophins and their receptors in the rat brain.
Exposure to stressful events and elevated level of stress hormones are associated with impaired spatial memory and neuronal damage in the hippocampus. These neurons are considered to be maintained by neurotrophins such as nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) and trk family of neurotrophin receptors. Male Wistar rats (6 weeks old) were exposed to immobilization stress for 8 h and their brains were processed for in situ hybridization histochemistry. Exposure to long-lasting immobilization stress reduced mRNA levels for neurotrophins and their high affinity receptors in the brain, especially in the hippocampus. Our results provide, some new information that may be relevant to the pathogenesis of stress-induced disturbances of memory and learning.
Ueyama
T
T
Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Wakayama Medical College, Japan. tueyama@wakayama-med.ac.jp
Kawai
Y
Y
Nemoto
K
K
Sekimoto
M
M
Toné
S
S
Senba
E
E
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D007103:Immobilization; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics; D020917:Receptor, trkA; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D020917:Receptor, trkA