title: Chronic unpredictable stress promotes neuronal apoptosis in the cerebral cortex.
abstract: Stress-mediated loss of synaptogenesis in the hippocampus appears to play a role in depressive and mood disorders. However, little is known about the effect of stress/depression on the plasticity and survival of cortical neurons. In this report, we have examined whether chronic stress increases the vulnerability of neurons in the rat cortex. We have used a chronic unpredictable mild stress (CMS) as a rat model of depression. CMS (5 weeks treatment) produced anedonia and increased corticosterone levels. These effects were accompanied by a detectable increase in caspase-3 positive neurons in the cerebral cortex, suggesting apoptosis. Desipramine (DMI), a well known antidepressant, reversed the pro-apoptotic effect of CMS. These results suggest that antidepressants may reduce the pathological changes seen in stress-induced depressive disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience Georgetown University Medical Center, EP04, New Research Building, 3970 Reservoir Road, NW, Washington, DC 20057, United States.
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bachis
authors.forename: Maria Idalia
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: Rachel L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Nosheny
authors.forename: Italo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mocchetti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D003891:Desipramine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D053148:Caspase 3; D003891:Desipramine; D003345:Corticosterone