Figure 3.
Timeline for experiment 2. Following 1 week of habituation to the colony following arrival, male Fischer 344 rats remained sedentary or were allowed voluntary access to running wheels for 6 weeks. Following 6 weeks of the sedentary or exercise conditions, wheels in the cages of the exercised rats either remained unlocked and mobile (Run 0), or were rendered immobile with a metal stake. Rats were then exposed to no stress or uncontrollable tail shock stress the next day, or 4, 14, or 24 days later. Behavioral testing occurred 24 h later, so that exercised rats were forced to remain sedentary for either 0 days (Run 0), 5 days (Run 5), 15 days (Run 15), or 25 days (Run 25) prior to behavioral testing. Groups of non-stressed and stressed sedentary rats were tested at each time point.
