Figure 2.

The Shati/Nat8l-BDNF pathway in the dorsal striatum determines stress sensitivity. A model summarizing the determination of stress sensitivity by the dorsal striatal Shati/Nat8l-BDNF pathway: resilient mice do not show the upregulation of Shati/Nat8l and BDNF expression by chronic social stress; thus, vulnerability to stress is not established and subsequent stress does not induce depression-like behaviors. Susceptible mice show upregulation of Shati/Nat8l and BDNF expression by chronic social stress, resulting in the establishment of a vulnerability to stress, in which subsequent stress contributes to depression-like behaviors.