How corticosterone modulates the activation of murine neurons: an in vitro molecular and electrophysiological characterization

Stress-related hormones such as glucocorticoids (GC) mediate behavioral adaptations and neuroplasticity. Also, increased neuronal activation (neuroplasticity) is essential for neuronal placement in stress or fear-related engrams. To understand how neuronal excitability and activation can be modulated by corticosterone (CORT; the murine GC), we used phospho-CREB expression as a marker for neuronal activation to address whether time-dependent exposure to CORT and CREB activation are correlated and how this could affect different electrophysiological parameters also associated with neuronal activation