Regional Differences in Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Levels and Dendritic Spine Density Confer Resilience to Inescapable Stress

BACKGROUND In the learned helplessness (LH) paradigm, approximately 35% of rats are resilient to inescapable stress. METHODS The roles of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and dendritic spine density in the brain regions of LH (susceptible) and non-LH rats (resilient) were examined. Western blot analysis and Golgi staining were performed. RESULTS BDNF levels in the medial prefrontal cortex, CA3, and dentate gyrus (DG) were significantly lower in the LH group than in the control and non-LH groups, whereas BDNF levels in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) in the LH group but not the non-LH group were significantly higher than those in the control group. Furthermore, spine density in the prelimbic cortex, CA3, and DG was significantly lower in the LH group than in the control and non-LH groups, although spine density in the NAc was significantly higher in the LH group than in the control and non-LH groups. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that regional differences in BDNF levels and spine density in rat brain may contribute to resilience to inescapable stress.