Effects of Stress on Cerebral Vasculature and Behavior

描述（由申请人提供）：中枢神经系统的可塑性包括神经元和神经胶质以及脉管系统的变化。血管紊乱可表现为脑灌注不足，并与多种神经退行性疾病和精神疾病有关，包括阿尔茨海默病、抑郁症、酒精中毒和药物滥用。低灌注损害营养和氧气输送到神经组织，可导致细胞水肿，胶质增生和血管周围炎症浸润。此外，血管生成的改变可以改变神经组织的灌注，从而改变突触的可塑性。此外，激素调节的血管生成和脑内神经发生之间可能存在因果关系。鉴于神经血管在神经组织维持中的关键作用，了解慢性应激对脑血管系统的影响可能有助于深入了解应激引起的神经可塑性变化的机制。本研究的目的是确定：(1)产前应激对成年期血管系统的影响；(2)下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺轴（HPA）轴在脑血管系统变化中的作用；(3)大脑血管变化的行为意义。

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.