Microglial activation occurs in the absence of anxiety-like behavior following microembolic stroke in female,but not male,rats

Background: the incidence of depression and anxiety disorders is twice as high in women than men; however,females exhibit less neuronal damage following an equivalent ischemic event. microembolic stroke increases anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors in male rats but the behavioral repercussions in females are unknown. findings: given the relative neuronal protection from stroke in ovary-intact females,female rats exposed to microembolic stroke may be behaviorally protected as compared to males. the data presented demonstrate that anxiety-like behavior is increased in males despite a comparable increase in microglial activation following microembolic stroke in both males and females. conclusions: these data suggest that males may be more behaviorally susceptible to the effects of microembolic stroke and further illustrate a dissociation between neuroinflammation and behavior in females. © 2014 nemeth et al.