Figures & data
Figure 1. Schematic diagram of coronal sections of CA1 ventral hippocampus. Adapted from Paxinos & Watson (Citation1998). Coordinates indicate position relative to Bregma.
Figure 2. Photomicrograph illustrating ventral hippocampus CA1 neurons of (A) Female-CON, (B) Female-STR, (G) Male-CON, (H) Male-STR rats. Dendritic spines are also shown. (C) Apical spines and (D) basilar spines in Female-CON rats; (E) basilar spines and (F) apical spines in Female-STR rats; (I) basilar spines and (J) apical spines in Male-CON rats; (K) apical spines and (L) basilar spines in Male-STR rats. These neurons were impregnated with Golgi–Cox stain.
Figure 3. Dendritic spines density. (A) Basilar and (B) apical ventral hippocampal CA1 neurons of stressed rats. The decrease in the density of basilar spines in Female-STR rats was significant (*p < 0.05).
Figure 4. Basilar dendritic tree analysis of ventral hippocampal CA1 neurons in female and male rats that were stressed by chronic restraint. (A and B) Dendritic arborization and (C) total dendritic length. There were no significant differences.
Figure 5. Apical dendritic tree analysis of ventral hippocampal CA1 neurons in female and male rats that were stressed by chronic restraint. (A) Arborization in the middle section was increased by stress in female rats. (B) There was no difference in arborization in stressed male rats. (C) Total dendritic length; there is a tendency toward increased dendritic length (p = 0.0502).
Figure 6. Spatial learning and memory in stressed rats. (A) Female and (B) male rats. The mean ± SE of escape latency over 24 trials is shown, **p < 0.01. (C) The learning phase: no difference was observed between groups. (D) The memory phase: escape latency was increased in the stressed female group compared with the female control group.
