Effects of Early-Life Stress on Social and Anxiety-Like Behaviors in Adult Mice: Sex-Specific Effects

Stressful events in an early postnatal period have critical implications for the individual’s life and can increase later risk for psychiatric disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of early-life stress on the social behavior of adult male and female mice. C57Bl/6 mice wer...

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Main Authors: Natalya P. Bondar, Arina A. Lepeshko, Vasiliy V. Reshetnikov
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2018-01-01
Series:Behavioural Neurology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/1538931
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author Natalya P. Bondar
Arina A. Lepeshko
Vasiliy V. Reshetnikov
author_facet Natalya P. Bondar
Arina A. Lepeshko
Vasiliy V. Reshetnikov
author_sort Natalya P. Bondar
collection DOAJ
description Stressful events in an early postnatal period have critical implications for the individual’s life and can increase later risk for psychiatric disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of early-life stress on the social behavior of adult male and female mice. C57Bl/6 mice were exposed to maternal separation (MS, 3 h once a day) or handling (HD, 15 min once a day) on postnatal day 2 through 14. Adult male and female mice were tested for social behavior in the social interaction test and for individual behavior in the plus-maze and open-field tests. Female mice exposed to maternal separation had increased social behavior and increased anxiety. MS male mice had no changes in social behavior but had significantly disrupted individual behavior, including locomotor and exploratory activity. Handling had positive effects on social behavior in males and females and decreased anxiety in males. Our results support the hypothesis that brief separation of pups from their mothers (handling), which can be considered as moderate stress, may result in future positive changes in behavior. Maternal separation has deleterious effects on individual behavior and significant sex-specific effects on social behavior.
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spelling doaj-art-2bf775ab05214480b81e79c0dc14d2f72025-08-20T02:04:37ZengWileyBehavioural Neurology0953-41801875-85842018-01-01201810.1155/2018/15389311538931Effects of Early-Life Stress on Social and Anxiety-Like Behaviors in Adult Mice: Sex-Specific EffectsNatalya P. Bondar0Arina A. Lepeshko1Vasiliy V. Reshetnikov2Laboratory of Gene Expression Regulation, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 10 Prospect Lavrentyeva, Novosibirsk 630090, RussiaLaboratory of Gene Expression Regulation, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 10 Prospect Lavrentyeva, Novosibirsk 630090, RussiaLaboratory of Gene Expression Regulation, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 10 Prospect Lavrentyeva, Novosibirsk 630090, RussiaStressful events in an early postnatal period have critical implications for the individual’s life and can increase later risk for psychiatric disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of early-life stress on the social behavior of adult male and female mice. C57Bl/6 mice were exposed to maternal separation (MS, 3 h once a day) or handling (HD, 15 min once a day) on postnatal day 2 through 14. Adult male and female mice were tested for social behavior in the social interaction test and for individual behavior in the plus-maze and open-field tests. Female mice exposed to maternal separation had increased social behavior and increased anxiety. MS male mice had no changes in social behavior but had significantly disrupted individual behavior, including locomotor and exploratory activity. Handling had positive effects on social behavior in males and females and decreased anxiety in males. Our results support the hypothesis that brief separation of pups from their mothers (handling), which can be considered as moderate stress, may result in future positive changes in behavior. Maternal separation has deleterious effects on individual behavior and significant sex-specific effects on social behavior.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/1538931
spellingShingle Natalya P. Bondar
Arina A. Lepeshko
Vasiliy V. Reshetnikov
Effects of Early-Life Stress on Social and Anxiety-Like Behaviors in Adult Mice: Sex-Specific Effects
Behavioural Neurology
title Effects of Early-Life Stress on Social and Anxiety-Like Behaviors in Adult Mice: Sex-Specific Effects
title_full Effects of Early-Life Stress on Social and Anxiety-Like Behaviors in Adult Mice: Sex-Specific Effects
title_fullStr Effects of Early-Life Stress on Social and Anxiety-Like Behaviors in Adult Mice: Sex-Specific Effects
title_full_unstemmed Effects of Early-Life Stress on Social and Anxiety-Like Behaviors in Adult Mice: Sex-Specific Effects
title_short Effects of Early-Life Stress on Social and Anxiety-Like Behaviors in Adult Mice: Sex-Specific Effects
title_sort effects of early life stress on social and anxiety like behaviors in adult mice sex specific effects
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/1538931
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