Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2025 Jan 1.
Published in final edited form as: Brain Behav Immun. 2023 Nov 13;115:535–542. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.11.007

Figure 3. Microglia display reduced branching after prolonged cocaine withdrawal.

Figure 3.

(A) Place preference score was higher in cocaine-treated mice compared to saline-treated mice both when tested at WD1 and at WD21 (Drug: F(1, 19) = 16.41, p<0.05). (B) The distance traveled in the apparatus was higher in cocaine-treated mice tested at WD21 compared to cocaine-treated mice tested at WD1 and saline groups (Drug x WD: F(1, 19) = 14.69, p<0.05). (C) The number of crossings between chambers in the apparatus was higher in cocaine-treated mice tested at WD21 compared to cocaine-treated mice tested at WD1 (Drug x WD: F(1, 19) = 9.104, p<0.05). (D) Representative images of microglia in the NAc shell at WD21 under the indicated conditions. (E-F) The microglial soma area (μm2) and the average branch length (μm) did not change after cocaine CPP (two-way ANOVA Drug x WD, p>0.05). (G-H) The number of microglia branches (WD: F(1, 80) = 17.91, p>0.05; drug: F(1, 80) = 10.46 , p>0.05) and total branch length (WD: F(1, 80) = 11.15, p>0.05; drug: F(1, 80) = 15.78 , p>0.05) were reduced on WD21 after cocaine CPP. (I) Illustration of the morphological parameters used for quantification. Skeleton was used to determine branch length and number (J-K) The arborization domain (Drug: F(1, 80) = 20.11, p>0.05; Drug x WD: F(1, 80) = 4.875 , p>0.05) and microglia domain (WD: F(1, 80) = 6.905, p>0.05; Drug: F(1, 80) = 8.105 , p>0.05) were reduced on WD21 after cocaine CPP. (L) The morphological index, calculated as the ratio between the area of the soma and the arborization domain, is increased on WD21 after cocaine CPP (Drug: F(1, 80) = 20.11, p>0.05; Drug x WD: F(1, 80) = 4.875 , p>0.05). (J) Microglia density was increased in cocaine treated mice on WD21 compared to saline mice on WD1 (Drug: F(1, 48) = 11.91, p>0.05; 12–15 fields/3–4 mice/group). For the morphological analysis 18–24 cells/3–4 mice/group were analyzed. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. Scale bars =10 μm. The symbols indicate, # p<0.05 compared to saline groups, * p<0.05 compared to saline WD1, cocaine WD1 and saline WD21, $ p<0.05 compared to cocaine WD1, ⨎ p<0.05 compared to saline WD1.