Single or multiple reproductive experiences attenuate neurobehavioral stress and fear responses in the female rat

Wartella, Jennifer; Amory, Elizabeth; Macbeth, Abbe H.; McNamara, Ilan; Stevens, Lillian Flores; Lambert, Kelly G.; Kinsley, Craig Howard

doi:10.1016/s0031-9384(03)00150-1

Cited by 123 publications

(99 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Sows in the SS, IS, and LS pens were upright 5.87%, 6.79%, and 6.80% of the time, respectively; although these values are not significantly different, the numerical means parallel patterns seen previously in gilts that show more standing posture with larger space allowances (Barnett et al, 1992(Barnett et al, , 1993. Previous experience and the physiological changes associated with parturition and lactation may reduce stress reactivity (Thodberg et al, 2002a,b;Wartella et al, 2003;Rima et al, 2009), making gilts more responsive to the reduction in space allowance than the mixed-parity groups used in this study. Similarly, Salak-Johnson et al (2012) observed reductions in both inactive standing and walking behaviors with small space allowances.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 62%

Group space allowance has little effect on sow health, productivity, or welfare in a free-access stall system1,2

Mack

Lay

Eicher

et al. 2014

Journal of Animal Science

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Free-access stalls allow sows to choose the protection of a stall or use of a shared group space. This study investigated the effect of group space width, 0.91 (SS), 2.13 (IS), and 3.05 (LS) m, on the health, production, behavior, and welfare of gestating sows. Nine replications of 21 (N = 189) gestating sows were used. At gestational d 35.4 ± 2.3, the pregnant sows were distributed into 3 pens of 7 sows, where they remained until 104.6 ± 3.5 d. Each treatment pen had 7 free-access stalls and a group space that together provided 1.93 (SS), 2.68 (IS), or 3.24 (LS) m 2 /sow. Baseline measurements were obtained before mixing. Back fat depth, BW, BCS, and lameness were measured monthly, and skin lesions were scored weekly. Blood was collected monthly for hematological, immunological, and cortisol analyses. Sow behavior was video recorded continuously during the initial 4 d of treatment and 24 h every other week thereafter. Behavior was analyzed for location, posture, pen investigation, social contact, and aggression. Skin response to the mitogen concanavalin A (Con A) was tested at mean gestational d 106. Litter characteristics including size and weight were collected at birth and weaning. The data were analyzed using a mixed model. Multiple comparisons were adjusted with the Tukey-Kramer and Bejamini-Hochberg methods. Group space allowance had no effect on any measure of sow health, physiology, or production (P ≥ 0.10). Sows in the SS, IS, and LS pens spent 77.88% ± 3.88%, 66.02% ± 3.87%, and 63.64% ± 3.91%, respectively, of their time in the free-access stalls (P = 0.12). However, SS sows used the group space less than IS and LS sows (P = 0.01). Overall, pen investigatory behavior was not affected by group space allowance (P = 0.91). Sows in the LS pens spent more time in a social group than SS sows (P = 0.02), whereas sows in IS pens were intermediate to, but not different from, the other treatments (P ≥ 0.10). The size of the social groups was also affected by the group space allowance (P = 0.03), with SS sows forming smaller groups than LS sows; again, IS sows were intermediate to, but not different from, the other treatments. Although the group space allowance had no measurable impact on the health, physiology, or productivity of the sows, the lower group space use and social contact of the SS sows reduced the behavioral diversity benefits of group housing and may indicate an avoidance of social stressors or a lack of physical comfort in the smallest pens. RightsWorks produced by employees of the U.S. Government as part of their official duties are not copyrighted within the U.S. The content of this document is not copyrighted. ABSTRACT: Free-access stalls allow sows to choose the protection of a stall or use of a shared group space. This study investigated the effect of group space width, 0.91 (SS), 2.13 (IS), and 3.05 (LS) m, on the health, production, behavior, and welfare of gestating sows. Nine replications of 21 (N = 189) gestating sows were used. At gestational d 35.4 ± 2.3, the pregnant sows w...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 62%

Group space allowance has little effect on sow health, productivity, or welfare in a free-access stall system1,2

Mack

Lay

Eicher

et al. 2014

Journal of Animal Science

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“…Parous females have significantly decreased c-fos mRNA expression in the hypothalamus, medial amygdala and lateral septum after restraint stress in comparison to NP females (da Costa et al, 1996;Wartella et al, 2003). Parous females also have decreased anxiety-like behavior as measured in the open field (Wartella et al, 2003) and on the elevated plus maze (Neumann, 2001;Lonstein, 2005). Furthermore, recent work indicates that multiparity continues to decrease anxiety as measured on the elevated plus maze up to 18 months after last weaning (Love et al, 2005), indicating effects on behavior throughout the female's lifespan.…”

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confidence: 94%

“…Similarly, reproductive experience alters anxiety and the stress response. Parous females have significantly decreased c-fos mRNA expression in the hypothalamus, medial amygdala and lateral septum after restraint stress in comparison to NP females (da Costa et al, 1996;Wartella et al, 2003). Parous females also have decreased anxiety-like behavior as measured in the open field (Wartella et al, 2003) and on the elevated plus maze (Neumann, 2001;Lonstein, 2005).…”

mentioning

confidence: 96%

Effects of multiparity on recognition memory, monoaminergic neurotransmitters, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)

Macbeth

Scharfman

MacLusky

et al. 2008

Hormones and Behavior

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Recognition memory and anxiety were examined in nulliparous (NP: 0 litters) and multiparous (MP: 5-6 litters) middle-aged female rats (12 months old) to assess possible enduring effects of multiparity at least 3 months after last litter was weaned. MP females performed significantly better than NP females on the non-spatial memory task, object recognition, and the spatial memory task, object placement. Anxiety as measured on the elevated plus maze did not differ between groups. Monoaminergic activity and levels were measured in prefrontal cortex, CA1 hippocampus, CA3 hippocampus, and olfactory bulb (OB). NP and MP females differed in monoamine concentrations in the OB only, with MP females having significantly greater concentrations of dopamine and metabolite DOPAC, norepinephrine and metabolite MHPG, and the serotonin metabolite 5-HIAA, as compared to NP females. These results indicate a long-term change in OB neurochemistry as a result of multiparity. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was also measured in hippocampus (CA1, CA3, dentate gyrus), and septum. MP females had higher BDNF levels in both CA1 and septum; as these regions are implicated in memory performance, elevated BDNF may underlie the observed memory task differences. Thus, MP females (experiencing multiple bouts of pregnancy, birth, and pup rearing during the first year of life) displayed enhanced memory task performance, but equal anxiety responses, as compared to NP females. These results are consistent with previous studies showing long-term changes in behavioral function in MP, as compared to NP, rats, and suggest that alterations in monoamines and a neurotrophin, BDNF, may contribute to the observed behavioral changes.

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“…The present study supports these findings, demonstrating a greater cognitive performance in multiparous, compared with nulliparous, dams. It cannot be ignored, however, that many studies to date have either found no cognitive and/or morphological differences between primiparous and multiparous dams, or have found differences that favor primiparous over multiparous dams (Wartella et al 2003, Love et al 2005, Pawluski & Galea 2006, Pawluski et al 2006a. One explanation may be that the beneficial effects of multiple pregnancies do not summate in a long-term manner.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Estrous cycle, pregnancy, and parity enhance performance of rats in object recognition or object placement tasks

Paris¹,

Frye²

2008

Reproduction

114

105

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Ovarian hormone elevations are associated with enhanced learning/memory. During behavioral estrus or pregnancy, progestins, such as progesterone (P 4 ) and its metabolite 5a-pregnan-3a-ol-20-one (3a,5a-THP), are elevated due, in part, to corpora luteal and placental secretion. During 'pseudopregnancy', the induction of corpora luteal functioning results in a hormonal milieu analogous to pregnancy, which ceases after about 12 days, due to the lack of placental formation. Multiparity is also associated with enhanced learning/memory, perhaps due to prior steroid exposure during pregnancy. Given evidence that progestins and/or parity may influence cognition, we investigated how natural alterations in the progestin milieu influence cognitive performance. In Experiment 1, virgin rats (nulliparous) or rats with two prior pregnancies (multiparous) were assessed on the object placement and recognition tasks, when in high-estrogen/P 4 (behavioral estrus) or low-estrogen/P 4 (diestrus) phases of the estrous cycle. In Experiment 2, primiparous or multiparous rats were tested in the object placement and recognition tasks when not pregnant, pseudopregnant, or pregnant (between gestational days (GDs) 6 and 12). In Experiment 3, pregnant primiparous or multiparous rats were assessed daily in the object placement or recognition tasks. Females in natural states associated with higher endogenous progestins (behavioral estrus, pregnancy, multiparity) outperformed rats in low progestin states (diestrus, non-pregnancy, nulliparity) on the object placement and recognition tasks. In earlier pregnancy, multiparous, compared with primiparous, rats had a lower corticosterone, but higher estrogen levels, concomitant with better object placement performance. From GD 13 until post partum, primiparous rats had higher 3a,5a-THP levels and improved object placement performance compared with multiparous rats.

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Single or multiple reproductive experiences attenuate neurobehavioral stress and fear responses in the female rat

Cited by 123 publications

References 17 publications

Group space allowance has little effect on sow health, productivity, or welfare in a free-access stall system1,2

Group space allowance has little effect on sow health, productivity, or welfare in a free-access stall system1,2

Effects of multiparity on recognition memory, monoaminergic neurotransmitters, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)

Estrous cycle, pregnancy, and parity enhance performance of rats in object recognition or object placement tasks

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