Early postweaning social isolation but not environmental enrichment modifies vermal Purkinje cell dendritic outgrowth in rats

In the present study, we analyzed the effects of enriched, social and isolated experiences on vermal Purkinje cell of the rat, together with anxiety-like behavior in the elevated-plus maze. Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly submitted to either enriched, social, or isolated environments during the early postweaning period (postnatal days 22-32) and were then behaviorally evaluated in the elevated-plus maze and euthanized for histological analysis. Vermal Purkinje cells (sub-lobules VIa and VIb) were sampled, drawn under camera lucida and morphometrically assessed using the Sholl's concentric ring method. Data obtained indicate that environmental enrichment did not significantly modify the Purkinje cell dendritic branching. On the contrary, Purkinje cell of animals reared in social isolation exhibited a significant reduction in dendritic arborization, which was closely associated with anxiety-like behaviors. The data obtained indicate that, although environmental stimulation in normal animals does not produce significant changes in vermal Purkinje cell dendritic arborization, these cells are vulnerable to early stressful experiences, which is in close association with anxiety-like behaviors.