Figure 3

METH affects microglial proliferation. METH increased the number of BrdU-positive cells at 0.001 and 0.01 mM, but had a negative effect at 0.1 and 1 mM. Z-VAD (25 μM) reduced, but did not completely prevent, the decrease in the number of BrdU-positive cells induced by METH. The results are expressed as percentage of total cells ± SEM (n = 10 to 35). ^*** P <0.01, ^*** P <0.001, Dunnett’s multiple comparison test, significantly different comparing to control. ⁺⁺⁺ P <0.001, Bonferroni’s multiple comparison test, significantly different comparing with 1 mM METH. BrdU: 5-bromo-2’-deoxyuridine; METH: methamphetamine; SEM: standard error of the mean; Z-VAD: z-Val-Ala-DL-Asp (OMe)-fluoromethylketone.