Adverse early-life experiences are associated with stress-response behavioral alteration, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hyperactivity, and a larger pituitary gland volume in adult CD-1 male mice

Mice's behavior was evaluated by forced swim test. Tissues were analyzed by ELISA assays. Analysis of brain and pituitary was performed using anatomic magnetic resonance imaging, and the diffusion-weighted imaging techniques (diffusion-weighted imaging and apparent diffusion coefficient).