» Articles » PMID: 12076732

Long-lasting Changes in Stress-induced Corticosterone Response and Anxiety-like Behaviors As a Consequence of Neonatal Maternal Separation in Long-Evans Rats

Overview
Publisher Elsevier
Date 2002 Jun 22
PMID 12076732
Citations 144
Authors
Affiliations
Soon will be listed here.
Abstract

Early neonatal environmental factors appear to have powerful and long-lasting influences on an organism's physiology and behavior. Long-Evans male rats separated from their dam for 3 h daily over the first 2 weeks of life (maternally separated, MS rats) when tested as adults exhibit exaggerated behavioral and neuroendocrine responses to stress compared to 15-min separated (handled, H) animals. The purpose of this study was to compare male and female adult rats that were MS, H or were undisturbed (nonhandled, NH) as neonates in anxiety-like behaviors, in the elevated plus-maze, and in response to startle-inducing auditory stimuli. We confirmed that MS males oversecrete corticosterone (CORT; 2.5-5 times) in response to mild handling stress. MS males and females were less likely to explore open arms of the plus-maze. MS males exhibited 35% higher startle amplitudes compared to controls. Furthermore, MS males were more likely to emit ultrasonic vocalizations in response to startle than were H controls. However, MS and control females did not differ in auditory startle response or in startle-induced ultrasonic vocalizations. Therefore, experiencing maternal separation results in a long-lasting increase in anxiety-like behaviors that occurs in a sex-dependent manner.

Citing Articles

Osteoporosis under psychological stress: mechanisms and therapeutics.

Xu H, Liu J, Zhou Z, Zheng C, Sui B, Yuan Y Life Med. 2025; 3(1):lnae009.

PMID: 39872391 PMC: 11749647. DOI: 10.1093/lifemedi/lnae009.


Extracellular Matrix Alterations Due to Early-Life Adversity: Implications for Auditory Learning in Male Sprague-Dawley Rats.

Mazi A, Karakoc Y, Demirtas C, Aykin U, Yildirim M Mol Neurobiol. 2025; .

PMID: 39812993 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-025-04690-2.


Stress-Induced Ultrasonic Vocalization in Laboratory Rats and Mice: A Scoping Review.

Venkatraman A, Bretl M, Kim S, Christensen L, Kelm-Nelson C, Ciucci M Brain Sci. 2024; 14(11).

PMID: 39595872 PMC: 11591760. DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14111109.


Methods for Modeling Early Life Stress in Rodents.

Choe J, Jones H Methods Mol Biol. 2024; 2868:205-219.

PMID: 39546232 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-4200-9_11.


Enduring Neurobiological Consequences of Early-Life Stress: Insights from Rodent Behavioral Paradigms.

Speranza L, Filiz K, Lippiello P, Ferraro M, Pascarella S, Miniaci M Biomedicines. 2024; 12(9).

PMID: 39335492 PMC: 11429222. DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12091978.