Abstract
Postnatal maternal separation increases hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) gene expression and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and behavioral responses to stress. We report here that environmental enrichment during the peripubertal period completely reverses the effects of maternal separation on both HPA and behavioral responses to stress, with no effect on CRF mRNA expression. We conclude that environmental enrichment leads to a functional reversal of the effects of maternal separation through compensation for, rather than reversal of, the neural effects of early life adversity.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Appetitive Behavior / physiology
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Behavior, Animal / physiology
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Brain / metabolism
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Brain Chemistry
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Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / genetics
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Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / metabolism
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Exploratory Behavior / physiology
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Handling, Psychological
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Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / physiology
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In Situ Hybridization
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Maternal Deprivation*
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Pituitary-Adrenal System / physiology
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RNA, Messenger / analysis
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RNA, Messenger / metabolism
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Rats
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Rats, Long-Evans
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Receptors, Glucocorticoid / genetics
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Receptors, Glucocorticoid / metabolism
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Social Environment
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Stress, Physiological / physiopathology*
Substances
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RNA, Messenger
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Receptors, Glucocorticoid
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Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone