Abstract
The metabolic support of neural plasticity was examined by comparing cerebral vasculature of weanling rats reared in complex environments (EC) to littermates reared individually (IC) or socially in pairs (SC). EC rats have a thicker occipital cortex, more synaptic contacts per neuron and larger dendritic arbors compared to SC or IC rats, potentially increasing local metabolic demands on microvasculature. Capillaries of EC rats were closer together than those of SC or IC rats and potentially filled a greater fraction of cortex with blood. The closer capillary spacing in young EC rats suggests compensatory angiogenesis in response to increased metabolic demand.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.