Fig. 4.

Analysis of the density of inhibitory and excitatory puncta in the infralimbic cortex.

A & B: Representative single confocal planes of puncta expressing excitatory (blue, VGLUT1) and inhibitory (red, VGAT) synaptic markers in the neuropil of stressed and control mice in males (A) and females (B) at P84. C-D: Graphs representing the effects of PPS on the density of VGLUT1+ (C1, D1, E1) and VGAT + puncta (C2, D2, E2) in the IL subregion of the mPFC. The effects on the E/I ratio (density of VGLUT1+ puncta/density of VGAT + puncta) were also plotted (C3, D3, E3). Graphs in the first row (green) include data from all experimental animals (not separated by sex) (C; N: controls = 23, PPS = 13). Graphs in the second row (orange) include data from males (D; N: controls = 11, PPS = 6). Graphs in the third row (purple) include data from females (E; N: controls = 12, PPS = 7). Values represent mean ± S.E.M. Asterisks in graphs indicate statistically significant effects between groups (Control x Stress) after unpaired Student's t-test. Symbols: # 0.1 > p > 0.05; *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001. Scale bar 20 μm. VGLUT1: Vesicular Glutamate Transporter-1. VGAT: Vesicular GABA Transporter.