Rat dams exposed repeatedly to a daily brief separation from the pups exhibit increased maternal behavior, decreased anxiety and altered levels of receptors for estrogens (ERα, ERβ), oxytocin and serotonin (5-HT1A) in their brain

Stamatakis, Antonios; Kalpachidou, Theodora; Raftogianni, Androniki; Zografou, Efstratia; Tzanou, Athanasia; Pondiki, Stavroula; Stylianopoulou, Fotini

doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.11.016

Cited by 43 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 85 publications

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“…Oxytocin is strongly related with maternal care (Nagasawa et al, 2012; Uvnäs‐Moberg, 1997). Increased expression of oxytocin receptor have been associated with high levels of licking and nursing in the arched‐back position (Francis et al, 2000) and was also found in H dams (Stamatakis et al, 2015), while intracerebroventricular infusion of an oxytocin receptor antagonist resulted in decreased licking and arched‐back nursing (Pedersen and Boccia, 2003). Therefore, to provide further information about neurochemical modulation of H and MS mothers’ behavior, we measured CSF levels of oxytocin in dams, at PND 21 (Fig.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Elevated levels of oxytocin receptor have been associated with high levels of licking and nursing in the arched‐back position (Francis et al, 2000). Interestingly, H dams also exhibited increased levels of this receptor in several brain structures, including the hippocampus, medial preoptic area and central amygdala (Stamatakis et al, 2015), thus suggesting that oxytocin signaling may be involved in mediating the changes in maternal care induced by neonatal interventions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Neonatal interventions differently affect maternal care quality and have sexually dimorphic developmental effects on corticosterone secretion

Couto-Pereira

Ferreira

Lampert

et al. 2016

Intl J of Devlp Neuroscience

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Neonatal handling (H) and maternal separation (MS) both induce changes in maternal care, but the contribution of these changes to the behavioral and neurochemical outcomes of the offspring remains unclear, as studies often find opposite results concerning the frequency of maternal behaviors, particularly in the MS paradigm. In this study, behavior displayed by H, MS and non-handled (NH) Wistar rat dams were observed during the first 10days after birth. A tentative assessment of the quality of maternal care was made, using a previously reported score that reflects behavior fragmentation and inconsistency. Central oxytocin levels and hippocampal synaptic plasticity markers were also evaluated in dams, immediately after litter weaning. In adulthood, male and female offspring were subjected to a contextual stress-induced corticosterone challenge to provide further information on the impact of early interventions on neuroendocrine parameters. We found that while both H and MS interventions induced an increase in the amount of pup-directed behavior, MS dams displayed a more fragmented and inconsistent pattern of care, reflecting poorer maternal care quality. Interestingly, an increase in oxytocin levels was observed only in H dams. While H offspring did not differ from NH, MS males and females showed marked differences in corticosterone secretion compared to controls. Our results suggest that briefly removing the pups from the nest alters maternal care quantity but not quality and increases central oxytocin, while long separations appear to increase low quality maternal care and change neuroendocrine responses in adult offspring in a sex-specific manner.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neonatal interventions differently affect maternal care quality and have sexually dimorphic developmental effects on corticosterone secretion

Couto-Pereira

Ferreira

Lampert

et al. 2016

Intl J of Devlp Neuroscience

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…It was recently observed that mothers interacting with -handled‖ pups since parturition spend more time with them in the nest and display lower anxiety-related behavior in an elevated plus maze compared to controls when examined on postpartum days 12 and 22 (Stamatakis et al, 2015). It has also been found that nulliparous female rats induced to become maternal and physically interact with pups through repeated exposure to them (i.e., maternally sensitized), sometimes show reduced their freezing response to a loud and sudden noise (Ferreira et al, 2002;Hansen and Ferreira, 1986) and increase their exploration of the open arms of an elevated plus maze (Pereira et al, 2005) compared to non-sensitized females.…”

Section: Accepted Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 99%

Affective changes during the postpartum period: Influences of genetic and experiential factors

Agrati

Lonstein

2016

Hormones and Behavior

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“…Thus, the role of OT in maternal behavior began to receive more attention. Daily brief separation from pups induced maternal behaviors in dams, which heightened the sensitivity of OT receptors in the brain [18]. Further, the effect of the administration of OT on the incidence of maternal behavior in virgin rats was summarized by Pedersen et al [19], though not all studies demonstrated OT-induced maternal behavior.…”

Section: Roles Of Oxytocin On Animal Welfarementioning

confidence: 99%

Role of oxytocin in improving the welfare of farm animals — A review

Chen

Sato

2016

Asian-Australas J Anim Sci

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Recently, increasing attention has been paid to the welfare of farm animals, which have been evaluated using behavioral and physiological measures. However, so far, the measures have almost always been used to estimate poor welfare. In this review, firstly we focus on how oxytocin (OT) relates to positive social behavior, pleasure, and stress tolerance, and second on which management factors stimulate OT release. OT induces maternal and affiliative behaviors and has an anti-stress effect. Further, OT is produced during enjoyable events, and has positive feedback on its own release as well. Therefore, to some extent, the relationship of OT to positive normal behavior was mutually beneficial—heightened OT concentration owing to comfortable rearing conditions induces positive social behavior, which in turn may increase OT concentration. Hence, studies on animal welfare should pay more attention to increasing comfort and the stress tolerance, rather than only focusing on when stress occurs in farm animals.

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Rat dams exposed repeatedly to a daily brief separation from the pups exhibit increased maternal behavior, decreased anxiety and altered levels of receptors for estrogens (ERα, ERβ), oxytocin and serotonin (5-HT1A) in their brain

Cited by 43 publications

References 85 publications

Neonatal interventions differently affect maternal care quality and have sexually dimorphic developmental effects on corticosterone secretion

Neonatal interventions differently affect maternal care quality and have sexually dimorphic developmental effects on corticosterone secretion

Affective changes during the postpartum period: Influences of genetic and experiential factors

Role of oxytocin in improving the welfare of farm animals — A review

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