Neuroplasticity refers to changes in the neural circuitry at the level of synaptic transmission, and is the mechanism underlying learning, memory and behavioural response modification1,2. These changes are induced rapidly by stress in certain brain regions such as the neocortex3, the hippocampus4 and the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus1. Being part of the stress-coping mechanism, neuroplasticity contributes to stress-induced behaviour and neuroendocrine adaptation1,5. Study has shown that in humans, a lack of such response during chronic exposure to psychological stress may be related to the development of stress-related disorders6. Research has focused extensively on the neocortex and the hippocampus, however, only Bains
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The mice will be randomly divided into either stress or control group, and housed as a groups of 3 in a clear plastic cage under a 12hr light/dark cycle (lights on at 7am) with no restriction to food or water. Mice will be given a 7-day stress-free adaptation period. The stress will be delivered on day 8 by placing the mouse into a 50ml conical tube with well ventilation. Movements of the animal will be fully restricted without inducing physical pain. The stress will be delivered daily at a random time for 21 consecutive days. Meanwhile, the control mice will remain undisturbed. On day 29, all 6 mice will be sacrificed and brain samples will be collected. The CRH neurons of the transgenic mice express tdTomato fluorophore which will allow us to visualize the CRH neurons without any staining procedures. Microglia will be stained using immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopic images will be used to quantify the amount of tdTomato fluorophore present within the microglia. An unpaired t-test will be used to compare the results between the stress and control
The mice will be randomly divided into either stress or control group, and housed as a groups of 3 in a clear plastic cage under a 12hr light/dark cycle (lights on at 7am) with no restriction to food or water. Mice will be given a 7-day stress-free adaptation period. The stress will be delivered on day 8 by placing the mouse into a 50ml conical tube with well ventilation. Movements of the animal will be fully restricted without inducing physical pain. The stress will be delivered daily at a random time for 21 consecutive days. Meanwhile, the control mice will remain undisturbed. On day 29, all 6 mice will be sacrificed and brain samples will be collected. The CRH neurons of the transgenic mice express tdTomato fluorophore which will allow us to visualize the CRH neurons without any staining procedures. Microglia will be stained using immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopic images will be used to quantify the amount of tdTomato fluorophore present within the microglia. An unpaired t-test will be used to compare the results between the stress and control