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. 1998 Dec 1;18(23):10171-9.
doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.18-23-10171.1998.

Maternal deprivation effect on the infant's neural stress markers is reversed by tactile stimulation and feeding but not by suppressing corticosterone

H J van Oers  1 , E R de Kloet, T Whelan, S Levine
Affiliations

Maternal deprivation effect on the infant's neural stress markers is reversed by tactile stimulation and feeding but not by suppressing corticosterone

H J van Oers et al. J Neurosci. .

Abstract

After 24 hr of maternal deprivation, significant elevations in ACTH and the naturally occurring glucocorticoid corticosterone (CORT) are observed during the stress-hyporesponsive period. The deprived pups also showed in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) a marked increase of stress-induced c-fos mRNA and a reduction of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) mRNA; in hippocampal CA1, a reduction of the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and GR was observed. Here, we examined whether these changes are reversed by (1) preventing the elevations of CORT characteristic for the 11-d-old deprived pups by administering the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone (DEX); or (2) reinstating some aspects of maternal behavior. The pups were either (1) left undisturbed, (2) stroked, or (3) stroked and episodically fed by cheek cannulation. At postnatal day 12, peripheral and neural stress markers were measured. Nondeprived animals served as controls. Experiment 1 demonstrates that although CORT was kept low by DEX, the central effects on CORT receptors, CRH, and c-fos mRNA were still present, except for MR in hippocampal CA1. Experiment 2 shows that stroking alone prevented the stress-induced rise in ACTH and c-fos mRNA and in the reduction in CRH and MR mRNA. In pups that were fed and stroked, CORT and GR mRNA resembled nondeprived controls. In conclusion, the changes in peripheral endocrine responses and in the brain cannot be attributed to the effect of elevated CORT concentrations, which are characteristic of the maternally deprived neonate. However, reinstating some components of the dams' nurturing behavior can reverse the effects evoked by maternal deprivation.

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Plasma ACTH (picograms per milliliter) and CORT (micrograms per deciliter) levels in 12-d-old pups, both under basal condition (NT) and 30 min after a saline injection (STRESS). The DEP group had been deprived 24 hr before testing (n= 10–12 per group). NDEP animals served as controls. The DEX0 group had received a dexamethasone injection at the onset of deprivation, the DEX12 group received an injection 12 hr into the deprivation period, and the DEX0/12 group received injections at both times (equivalent time for NDEP) of 100 μg/kg BW. SAL animals had received saline injections at the equivalent times. *p < 0.05, significant from basal levels in DEP animals; #p < 0.05, significant from NDEP animals.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Basal MR and GR mRNA expression in different hippocampal subfields in 12-d-old animals. The DEP group had been deprived 24 hr before testing (n = 10–12 per group). NDEP animals served as controls. The DEX animals had received a dexamethasone injection at the onset of deprivation (or equivalent time for NDEP) of 100 μg/kg BW. NT animals had received a saline injection instead of a DEX injection. *p < 0.05, significant from NDEP counterparts.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.
Basal CRH stress-induced (30 min after saline injection) c-fos and basal GR mRNA expression in the PVN of 12-d-old pups. The DEP group had been deprived 24 hr before testing (n = 10–12 per group). NDEP animals served as controls. The DEX animals had received a dexamethasone injection at the onset of deprivation (or equivalent time for NDEP) of 100 μg/kg BW. NT animals had received a saline injection instead of a DEX injection. *p < 0.05, significant from NDEP counterparts.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 4.
Plasma ACTH (picograms per milliliter) and CORT (micrograms per deciliter) levels in 12-d-old pups, both under basal condition (NT) and 30 min after a saline injection (STRESS). Litters were deprived for 24 hr on P11, during which time they were either left undisturbed (ISO), stroked (STROK), or stroked and episodically fed (F & S) (n = 10–12 per group). NDEP animals served as controls. *p < 0.05, significant from NDEP counterparts.
Fig. 5.
Fig. 5.
Basal MR and GR mRNA expression in different hippocampal subfields in 12-d-old animals. Litters were deprived for 24 hr on P11, during which time they were either left undisturbed (ISO), stroked (STROK), or stroked and episodically fed (F & S) (n = 10–12 per group). *p < 0.05, significant from NDEP counterparts.
Fig. 6.
Fig. 6.
Basal CRH stress-induced (30 min after saline injection) c-fos and basal GR mRNA expression in the PVN of 12-d-old pups. Litters were deprived for 24 hr on P11, during which time they were either left undisturbed (ISO), stroked (STROK), or stroked and episodically fed (F & S) (n = 10–12 per group). NDEP animals served as controls. *p < 0.05, significant from NDEP counterparts.
Fig. 7.
Fig. 7.
Photomicrographs of CRH mRNA expression in the PVN. A, NDEP. B, DEP. C, STROK. D, F & S.
Fig. 8.
Fig. 8.
Photomicrographs of c-fos mRNA expression in the PVN. A, NDEP. B, DEP. C, STROK. D, F & S.
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