Abstract

The early break in maternal bonding and social isolation are variables involved with social and emotional behaviors and also with increased anxiety, especially in stressful situations. However, there is no research to explain the morphological changes of the adrenal gland (GSR). Therefore, our objective was to experimentally study through alteration model of social ties and early mother-cub bond alteration belated social isolation, the effect on the morphometric and stereological characteristics of the GSR in rats of the Sprague Dawley subjected to intermittent chronic stress in adulthood. We used 35 newborn female rats, divided into groups of 7 under lactating and standardized feeding conditions. The experimental groups were exposed to adverse experiences early (E1), late (E2), and early/late (E3) and subsequently, subject to intermittent chronic stress in adulthood. Left GSR was isolated from each animal determining morphometric characteristics and stereological parameters. The absolute weight was higher in control group C2 and the experimental group E1. In the group E3 number of cells per mm(3), the percentage of glandular tissue and density of the surface in the fascicular area of the GSR was lower. Stereological characteristics of the GRS in rats, not only can be affected by exposure to stress in adulthood, but also early and/or late adverse experiences play an important role in the changes of quantitative morphological parameters observed in this gland.