Fig. 7: Environmental enrichment improves OL numbers and myelination in the mPFC of APO-SUS rats.

a Schematic representation of experimental paradigm. APO-SUS and APO-UNSUS rats were housed in standard housing (SH) or in environmental enrichment (EE) conditions starting at P21, and sacrificed at P90 for immunohistochemical (IHC) or transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses. b Number of OLIG2+ lineage cells; *p = 0.045, ^p = 0.018 in two-tailed independent samples t-test, c number of OLIG2+NG2+ OPCs; ^p = 0.013 in two-tailed independent samples t-test, d number of OLIG2+GPR17+BCAS1+ early-myelinating OLs; *p = 0.012 in two-tailed independent samples t-test, and e number of OLIG2+CC1+ mature OLs per mm² in the IL subregion of the mPFC of APO-SUS and APO-UNSUS rats in standard housing and environmental enrichment conditions (n = 3–6, specified in the graphs). f TEM analysis and quantification in the IL of APO-SUS (n = 4) and APO-UNSUS (n = 3) rats in standard housing and environmental enrichment conditions; *p = 0.021 in two-tailed independent samples t-test. g Average myelinated axon G-ratio in IL of APO-SUS (n = 4) and APO-UNSUS (n = 3) rats in standard housing and environmental enrichment conditions. h Axon caliber cumulative distributions of myelinated axons in IL of APO-SUS and APO-UNSUS rats in standard housing and environmental enrichment conditions; *p = 0.012; 0.2–0.4 ^p = 0.041; 0.8–1.0 ^p = 0.047; 1.0–1.2 ^p = 0.031 in two-tailed independent samples t-test. Scale bars 20 µm in immunofluorescence images and 1 µm in electron micrographs. Error bars represent standard error of the mean. Source data are provided as a Source data file.