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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2011 Nov 10.
Published in final edited form as: Rev Neurosci. 2011;22(5):535–549. doi: 10.1515/RNS.2011.044

Figure 2. Region specific effects of stress on spine plasticity.

Figure 2

(A) In the NAc, one study has found a doubling of stubby spines after CSDS. To date, no other studies have examined spine reorganization following stress. (B) In the amygdala, several studies have found a stress-induced increase in dendritic length and spine density; however, there are no studies that have examined changes in spine morphologies. (C) In the PFC, the majority of studies found that stress causes a reduction in dendritic length and spine density. It seems that these changes in density are specific to spine types. Note the increase in thin spines but decrease in mushroom spines. (D) Although there are conflicting reports*, several studies would support the hypothesis that the dendritic atrophy of hippocampal pyramidal neurons is accompanied by spine loss.