The effects of lactational maternal stress on neuronal behavior of adolescent offspring in mice / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the effects of lactational maternal stress on neurobehavioral development of offsprings.Methods Maternal mice were divided into normal control,maternal deprivation and maternal stress group.A 5-min/day cold water swimming was used as maternal stress for continuously of 14 day since the 7th postnatal day.The increasing bodyweight and neurobehavior of adolescent offspring mice were assessed by forced swimming test,tail suspension test and locomotor activity in the 35th postnatal day.Results Maternal chronic stress in lactational stage significantly increased the vulnerability of offspring to acute stress,which was reflected by significantly increased immobility time of adolescent offspring in forced swimming test (female(139±6) s,(138±9) s,(96±9) s respectively; male(139±9) s,(112±9) s,(96±9) s respectively) and in tail suspension test (femal(127±8) s,(123±8) s,(98±6) s respectively ; male(141 ±7) s,(105±5) s,(92±6) s respectively).Meanwhile,sexual difference occurred for adolescent offspring to acute stress,and the female offspring were more vulnerable to acute stress.Conclusion Lactational maternal stress may be important factors for development of adolescent depression.Our findings highlight the area of early prevention and intervention for adolescent depression.