Fig. 2.

Swim Stress-Induced Alterations in Endocannabinoid Levels.

(A) Representative methods schematic (created in Biorender). (B) Corticosterone (CORT) levels increased with swim stress exposure and were greater in females compared to males in response to stress. Anandamide (AEA) levels were reduced in the (C) amygdala, (D) hippocampus and (E) medial prefrontal cortex following swim stress and this was primarily driven by males in the (E) medial prefrontal cortex. 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG) levels were lower in females compared to males in the (F) amygdala, (G) hippocampus and (H) medial prefrontal cortex. 2-AG levels were increased with swim stress in the (F) amygdala and this was primarily driven by males, with no stress-induced changes in the (G) hippocampus or (H) medial prefrontal cortex. (I) Correlation matrix. Estradiol, progesterone and uterine weights only compared in females. Significant bars inside the axes represent specific comparisons between groups, while those outside of the axes represent main effects (sex and stress). **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, ****p < 0.0001. Basal = left pair, Stress = right pair. In each pair, the left bars are the males (grape, horizontal lines, diamonds) and the right bars are the females (teal, vertical lines, triangle).