Seminarium Zakładu Biofizyki

Stress resilience refers to the ability of neuronal networks to maintain their function despite exposure to stress. In this study, we investigate whether stress resilience is an actively developed dynamic process. To assess resilient and anhedonic behavioral phenotypes emerging after chronic unpredictable stress, we quantitatively analyzed the structural and functional plasticity of excitatory synapses in the hippocampus using a combination of proteomic, electrophysiological, and imaging techniques. Our results demonstrate that stress resilience is a dynamic, multifactorial process involving structural, functional, and molecular adaptations at the synaptic level. Specifically, we show that chronic stress modulates the palmitoylation of synaptic proteins, with distinct profiles observed in resilient versus anhedonic phenotypes. Moreover, stress resilience is associated with compensatory structural plasticity in the postsynaptic compartments of synapses. Finally, we identify a signaling pathway that promotes resilience, shedding light on the molecular mechanisms underlying adaptive responses to chronic stress.