CASP3 and Anxiety: Furthermore, we provide additional evidence demonstrating that the reduction GABAergic neurons in the CeA is probably due to alteration of neuronal properties (e.g., shift from GABAergic neuron to pyramidal neuron) rather than apoptosis of GABAergic cells, because not any apoptotic cells or upregulation of caspase-3 (a marker of apoptotic protein) were found in the CeA neurons in SNL-induced anxiety rats, whereas expression of VGLUT1 was significantly increased.