Fig. 2: ELS and Fkbp5 genotype lead to separate and interactive changes in brain volume in female mice.

A Deformation-based morphometry analyses of the female brains revealed main effects of genotype (Gen, T-contrast WT > KO) in grey matter (GM) volumes of the cortex (right somatosensory cortex and bilateral visual cortex) and in the ventral subiculum. Overall white matter (WM) deformations were found for genotype in the bilateral dorsal hippocampal commissure. In addition, interactive effects of Fkbp5 genotype and early life stress (ELS) exposure (GxE, T-contrast, pronounced negative effect of stress in KO mice compared to WT), were found in various cortical regions (right somatosensory cortex, bilateral visual cortex and bilateral retrosplenial cortex). B Post-hoc t tests revealed reductions in brain volume following ELS, in Fkbp5^Nex mice (KO) only, within bilateral cortical areas and increased volumes in the third ventricle. C Furthermore, within mice that underwent ELS, Fkbp5^Nex mice had smaller GM volumes in cortical areas and reduced volumes in WM structures of the dorsal hippocampal commissure. Scales represent Z-scores. WT = wild-type, KO = Fkbp5^Nex, C = control, ELS = early life stress, Gen = genotype, GxE = gene by environment interaction. ELS: Fkbp5^lox/lox n = 7, Fkbp5^Nex n = 10;control: Fkbp5^lox/lox n = 11 and Fkbp5^Nex n = 8.