Prenatal psychological stress effects on taste neophobia

Hp, Pfister; Golus, Peter; McGee, Rob

doi:10.1016/0031-9384(81)90309-7

Cited by 8 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…The second behavioral expression of the high anxiety-like behavior in prenatally stressed rats, the avoidance of anxiogenic environments, is in agreement with a previously reported increase in food-related neophobia, after a prenatal novelty stress, which was interpreted as a decreased exploration in a novel situation (Pfister et al, 1981). Moreover, a decreased exploration in the open arms of the elevated plus-maze has been reported after the application of a prenatal stressor consisting of restraint and an unpredictable noise (Fride and Weinstock, 1988;Wakshlak and Weinstock, 1990).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Prenatal Stress Induces High Anxiety and Postnatal Handling Induces Low Anxiety in Adult Offspring: Correlation with Stress-Induced Corticosterone Secretion

et al. 1997

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It is well known that the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is altered by early environmental experiences, particularly in the perinatal period. This may be one mechanism by which the environment changes the physiology of the animal such that individual differences in adult adaptative capabilities, such as behavioral reactivity and memory performance, are observable. To determine the origin of these behavioral individual differences, we have investigated whether the long-term influence of prenatal and postnatal experiences on emotional and cognitive behaviors in adult rats are correlated with changes in HPA activity. To this end, prenatal stress of rat dams during the last week of gestation and postnatal daily handling of rat pups during the first 3 weeks of life were used as two environmental manipulations. The behavioral reactivity of the adult offspring in response to novelty was evaluated using four different parameters: the number of visits to different arms in a Y-maze, the distance covered in an open field, the time spent in the corners of the open field, and the time spent in the open arms of an elevated plus-maze. Cognitive performance was assessed using a water maze and a two-trial memory test. Adult prenatally stressed rats showed high anxiety-like behavior, expressed as an escape behavior to novelty correlated with high secretion of corticosterone in response to stress, whereas adult handled rats exhibited low anxiety-like behavior, expressed as high exploratory behavior correlated with low secretion of corticosterone in response to stress. On the other hand, neither prenatal stress nor handling changed spatial learning or memory performance. Taken together, these results suggest that individual differences in adult emotional status may be governed by early environmental factors; however, perinatal experiences are not effective in influencing adult memory capacity.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Prenatal Stress Induces High Anxiety and Postnatal Handling Induces Low Anxiety in Adult Offspring: Correlation with Stress-Induced Corticosterone Secretion

et al. 1997

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“…To paraphrase Lykken (1995, p. 85), without experience, the rats' genome would produce no more than a damp spot on the bedding material. Prenatal exposure to stress hormones or opiates (Pfister, Golus, & McGee, 1981;Gagin, Cohen, & Shavit, 1996) and postnatal maternal behavior or handling (Fernandez-Teruel, Escorihuela, Driscoll, Tobena, & Bättig, 1991;Lasselle, Bulman-Fleming, & Wahlsten, 1991;Steimer, Escorihuela, Fernandez-Teruel, & Driscoll, 1998), may be critical to the expression of relevant genes. It is interesting to note that neonatal handling of RLA and RHA rats dramatically reduces the RLA rats' emotionality and diminishes the differences between lines (reviewed by Driscoll et al, 1998).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring Adaptations to Famine: Rats Selectively Bred for Differential Intake of Saccharin Differ on Deprivation-Induced Hyperactivity and Emotionality

Dess¹,

Arnal²,

Chapman³

et al. 2000

International Journal of Comparative Psychology

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In many mammals, including humans and rats, acute starvation increases locomotor activity. This seemingly paradoxical and potentially lethal behavior pattern may reflect an evolved, multisystem response to sudden threats to metabolic homeostasis. The present study provides a novel test of this idea. Occidental High-(HiS) and Low-(LoS) Saccharin-Consuming rats differ on the taste phenotype and also on some affective measures, on which LoS rats score higher. Wheel running was measured in HiS and LoS rats with food available freely versus for 1 hr daily. As predicted, restricted feeding stimulated significantly more running among LoS rats. Two independent tests of emotionality (acoustic startle, stress-induced analgesia) also distinguished the lines. The confluence of taste, emotion, and reactivity to starvation conditions in species as distantly related as rats and humans points to integrated biobehavioral systems that warrant further exploration.The venerable concepts of metabolic homeostasis and "set point" can be challenged in interesting ways. An example is the excessive exercise that often accompanies reduced food intake in humans and other animals (Epling & Pierce, 1996;Pierce & Epling, 1997; Vincent & Parϑ, 1976). For humans, this pattern is associated with the clinical diagnoses of anorexia and bulimia nervosa (American Psychiatric Association, DSM IV, 1994). Because activity increases in starvation conditions -when conserving energy seems more logical -deprivation-induced hyperactivity (DIH) is sometimes termed "paradoxical" or, in humans, "irrational" and "selfdestructive." Its occurrence in intact, healthy rats, however, implicates phylogenetically old systems, perhaps constituting co-evolved adaptations to famine: Although relocating during a severe food shortage would consume resources and not guarantee survival, it may have, on balance, conferred a selective advantage over remaining in a depleted food patch (Pierce & Epling, 1996).

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“…There is considerable evidence to suggest 1962; Pfister, 1980;Pfister, Golus, & that the stress state and the subsequent McGee, 1981;Thomspon, 1957). A wide behavior of the offspring is susceptible to variety of psychological stressors have been influences during both the prenatal and the identified and used in the study of preparpostnatal period (Archer & Blackman, turn stress, including handling (Ader, 1971;Daly, 1973;Denenberg, 1964;Joffe, Friedman, Grota, & Schaefer, 1968;Dunn, 1969;Thompson, 1958).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Stimulation of the fetus, applied indirectly through the mother during the prepartum period, generally has a deleterious effect on the later behavior of the offspring. This stimulation produces changes in behavior such as heightened taste neophobia, decreased ambulation, and increased defecation in the open field, which are indicative of heightened emotionality (Ader & Belfer, 1962; Pfister, 1980; Pfister, Golus, & McGee, 1981; Thomspon, 1957). A wide variety of psychological stressors have been identified and used in the study of prepartum stress, including handling (Ader, Friedman, Grota, & Schaefer, 1968; Dunn, Scheving, & Millet, 1972), noise (Barlow, Knight, & Sullivan, 1979), and novelty (Bassett, Cairncross, & King, 1973; File, 1982; Pfister, 1979).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of prepartum stress and postpartum enrichment on mother–infant interaction and offspring problem-solving ability in Rattus norvegicus..

Muir¹,

Pfister²,

Ivinskis³

1985

Journal of Comparative Psychology

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Prenatal psychological stress effects on taste neophobia

Cited by 8 publications

References 15 publications

Prenatal Stress Induces High Anxiety and Postnatal Handling Induces Low Anxiety in Adult Offspring: Correlation with Stress-Induced Corticosterone Secretion

Prenatal Stress Induces High Anxiety and Postnatal Handling Induces Low Anxiety in Adult Offspring: Correlation with Stress-Induced Corticosterone Secretion

Exploring Adaptations to Famine: Rats Selectively Bred for Differential Intake of Saccharin Differ on Deprivation-Induced Hyperactivity and Emotionality

Effects of prepartum stress and postpartum enrichment on mother–infant interaction and offspring problem-solving ability in Rattus norvegicus..

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