Does chronic stress alter reelin in the entorhinal cortex?
Date
2024
Authors
Kurz, Katerina
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Victoria
Abstract
Chronic stress (CS) is a risk factor for depression and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The entorhinal cortex (EC) is the region first showing deterioration in AD. Reelin, which regulates synaptic plasticity, is dysregulated in the hippocampus following CS, in depression and AD, and in the EC following age-related cognitive decline. To examine the effect of CS on reelin+ cells in the EC, 36 rats underwent a cyclic CS model of recurring depression. A subset of rats received an injection of reelin on the last day to determine whether reelin treatment reverses depression-like behaviour and restores reelin in the EC. Reelin treatment reversed depression-like behaviour, but no effect of CS on EC reelin+ cell density was observed, suggesting that CS does not affect EC reelin as it does in other regions. Correlations were examined between reelin+ cell density, forced swim test immobility, and spatial memory. There was no relationship between reelin+ cell density and immobility time, however there was a significant correlation between spatial memory and reelin cell density in males. This correlation was disrupted with chronic stress but successfully recovered with a reelin injection, suggesting a relationship between spatial memory and reelin levels in the EC.
Description
Keywords
Chronic stress, entorhinal cortex, reelin, depression, spatial memory, rodent