biostudies-literatureUnknown36(7)Roszkowski MSeveral studies have reported that exposure to acute psychophysiological stressors can lead to an increase in blood-brain barrier permeability, but these findings remain controversial and disputed. We thoroughly examined this issue by assessing the effect of several well-established paradigms of acute stress and chronic stress on blood-brain barrier permeability in several brain areas of adult mice. Using cerebral extraction ratio for the small molecule tracer sodium fluorescein (NaF, 376 Da) as a sensitive measure of blood-brain barrier permeability, we find that neither acute swim nor restraint stress lead to increased cerebral extraction ratio. Daily 6-h restraint stress for 21 days, a model for the severe detrimental impact of chronic stress on brain function, also does not alter cerebJournal of cerebral blood flow and metabolism : official journal of the International Society of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism1304-15https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC4929709biostudies-literatureStress does not increase blood-brain barrier permeability in mice.PMC4929709Bohacek JRoszkowski MfalseStress does not increase blood-brain barrier permeability in mice.Several studies have reported that exposure to acute psychophysiological stressors can lead to an increase in blood-brain barrier permeability, but these findings remain controversial and disputed. We thoroughly examined this issue by assessing the effect of several well-established paradigms of acute stress and chronic stress on blood-brain barrier permeability in several brain areas of adult mice. Using cerebral extraction ratio for the small molecule tracer sodium fluorescein (NaF, 376 Da) as a sensitive measure of blood-brain barrier permeability, we find that neither acute swim nor restraint stress lead to increased cerebral extraction ratio. Daily 6-h restraint stress for 21 days, a model for the severe detrimental impact of chronic stress on brain function, also does not alter cereb2016-01-01T00:00:00Z2016 Jul2026-05-05T14:57:36.347Z2019-03-27T02:17:21ZS-EPMC49297092714651310.1177/0271678X1664773910.1177/0271678x16647739