Effects of acute immobilization stress on vermal cerebellar cortex of young male rats

ABSTRACT

To observe the morphological changes in vermal cerebellar cortex of young male rats with special reference to Purkinje cell alter exposure to acute immobilization stress. The study design was experimental, conducted at the Department of Anatomy CPSP Regional Centre, Islamabad. A total of sixty young male Sprague Dawley rats were taken and divided equally in two groups [n= 30 in each], Group-A control, Group-B experimental. Experimental group was kept in restrainer for 24 hours continuously, one rat per restrainer separately. At the end of the experiment, all the animals of both groups A and B were anesthetized and sacrificed for the removal of cerebellum, which was fixed in 10% formaline. Histological evaluation of Hematoxylin and eosin stained sections, was done to record data, observed in the central folium of the vermal cerebellar cortex, in a specified area in front of the fissura prima. Results of experimental animals were compared with controls. Significant decrease in cell count [P< 0.05] and cell size [P< 0.05] was found in stressed group as compared with control. Increase in number of dark cells, thickness of vermal cercbellar cortex and molecular layer was observed in stressed animals but it was insignificant. The results of this study showed increased conversion of light towards dark Purkinje cells which ultimately died resulting in significant decrease, in total cell count under the effect of acute immobilization stress. Immobilization stress may cause injury to the ccrebellar neurons