Fig. 1

Enhanced LTP and phosphorylation of PKA following combined application of CORT and BDNF. (A) CA3-CA1 5-min average fEPSP synaptic traces from representative CTRL, CORT, BDNF, CORT + BDNF experiments (B-D, respectively) sampled at baseline ① (dashed line) and 60 min after cTBS induction ② (solid line). (B-D) Time course of synaptic responses for each of CORT (B), BDNF (C), and CORT + BDNF (D). Three black arrows represent the cTBS conditioning stimulus. Solid grey bar represents compound (as specified) wash-on period (30 min). (E-G) LTP quantification revealed significant LTP enhancement using a one way-ANOVA (F(3,52) = 20.68, p = 0.0001) for BDNF (F; p = 0.0002) and CORT + BDNF (G; p < 0.0001) treatment but not CORT (E; p = 0.97) (female open circle, male closed circle). CORT + BDNF was significantly enhance compare to BDNF alone (F vs. G: mean difference = + 21 ± 8%, t(52) = 2.6, p = 0.01) (H-J) Exemplar western blots (right) and quantification (left) of phosphorylated PKA (T197) relative to total PKA levels (normalized to vehicle, VEH) after 30 min application of CORT (H), BDNF (I), or CORT + BDNF (J), respectively. CORT + BDNF was the only condition to display an increased pPKA signal (p = 0.01). The two lanes refer to VEH (-) versus compound (+) application. Connected lines refer to data from pairs of pooled hippocampal slices obtained from the same animal