Effect of hypoxia on the morphology of mouse striatal neurons

Symptoms of high altitude sickness including headache and neuropsychological dysfunction are thought to result from prolonged exposure to hypoxia. In order to explain how the brain adapts to lower oxygen pressure at high altitude, CD1 mice were exposed to 3 weeks of hypobaric hypoxic conditions. Analyses of the neuronal morphology of striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs) revealed a significant decrease in dendritic length, yet no change in dendritic volume, in hypoxic mice relative to normoxic mice. Vascular data indicated an increase in blood vessel area in the striatum of mice exposed to prolonged hypoxia. A mouse model of high altitude exposure may assist in elucidating the mechanisms of cerebral adaptation to high altitudes in humans, and therefore aid in developing successful prevention techniques and treatment of problems associated with high altitude disease.