Effects of Stress on Cerebral Vasculature and Behavior

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Plasticity of the central nervous system encompasses changes in neurons and glia as well as the vasculature. Vascular disturbances may manifest as cerebral hypoperfusion and have been implicated in a variety of neurodegenerative diseases and psychiatric disorders including Alzheimer's disease, depression, alcoholism, and substance abuse. Hypoperfusion impairs nutrient and oxygen delivery to neural tissue and can result in cellular edema, gliosis and perivascular inflammatory infiltrate. In addition, changes in angiogenesis can alter perfusion of neural tissue which may alter synaptic plasticity. Furthermore, a causal interaction may exist between hormone regulated angiogenesis and neurogenesis in the brain. Given the crucial role of neuronal vasculature in the maintenance of neural tissue, an understanding of the effects of chronic stress on brain vasculature may provide insights into the mechanisms that underlie stress-evoked changes in neural plasticity. The aims of the present research are to determine: (1) the effects of prenatal stress on vasculature in adulthood, (2) the role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) axis in changes in brain vasculature, and (3) the behavioral implications of vascular changes in the brain.