The effects of social isolation on spatial learning and cognitive flexibility are sex-specific. During initial training, stressed males (A) entered the shock zone faster on trial 2 and (B) entered the shock zone more frequently during the first 5 min of trial 2 than stressed females. (C) The latency to first enter the shock zone after 24 h of retention was lower in stressed males than stress females. (D) During initial training, stressed females spent more time to the left of the shock zone (i.e., CCW) than stressed males. (E,F) During the first trial of conflict training, stressed females entered the new shock zone more and spent more time within that new shock zone than stressed males. n = 10 stress males; n = 7 stress females. Data are expressed as a percentage of same-sex controls, and the dashed line indicates 100% of the corresponding control group. Data are represented as mean ± SEM. (*) P < 0.05, (**) P < 0.01.
