Open AccessDelayed effects of elevated corticosterone level on volume of hippocampal formation in laboratory rat
Author(s) -
Petr Zach,
Jana Mrzílková,
Lenka Řezáčová,
Aleš Stuchlı́k,
Karel Valeš
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
physiological research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.647
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1802-9973
pISSN - 0862-8408
DOI - 10.33549/physiolres.931904
Subject(s) - hippocampal formation , corticosterone , hippocampus , medicine , endocrinology , chemistry , hormone
We studied delayed effects of elevated plasma levels ofcorticosterone (Cort) on volumetry, neuronal quantity, and grossmarks of neurodegeneration in the hippocampal formation ofLong-Evans rats. Animals were exposed to increased CORT levelsfor three weeks via implanted subcutaneous pellets. Volumetry,neuronal quantification and gross marks of degeneration weremeasured seven weeks after the termination of CORT treatment.We observed significant differences in volumes and especially inlaterality of hippocampal subfields between control and CORTtreated animals. We found that the left hippocampus wassubstantially larger than the right hippocampus in thecorticosterone-treated group, but not in the control group. In thecontrol group, on the other hand, right hippocampal volume wasmarkedly higher than all other measured volumes (hippocampalleft control, hippocampal left CORT-treated and hippocampalright CORT-treated). Left hippocampal volume did not differbetween the groups.