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Maternal behavior changes after immune challenge of neonates with developmental effects on adult social behavior
Author(s) -
Hood Kathryn E.,
Dreschel Nancy A.,
Granger Douglas A.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
developmental psychobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1098-2302
pISSN - 0012-1630
DOI - 10.1002/dev.10076
Subject(s) - licking , lipopolysaccharide , developmental psychology , psychology , saline , maternal deprivation , physiology , social behavior , endocrinology , medicine
To examine whether maternal responsiveness during interactions with endotoxin‐treated pups contributes to long‐term effects on social development, neonatal mice were fostered on postnatal day 1 to dams from three selectively bred lines that differ in social behaviors. On day 5, neonates were administered saline or 0.5 mg/kg endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, i.p.). Observations of undisturbed dams and litters on days 2, 4, 6, and 8 showed modest line differences in maternal behaviors. At the peak intensity of the transient illness induced by endotoxin (3 hr postinjection on day 5), dams increased licking and decreased time off‐nest for endotoxin, but not saline‐treated pups. As adults, fostered‐reared males were observed in brief social interactions. Males exposed to endotoxin early in life showed changes in adult social behaviors that depended on foster dam line as well as individual differences in maternal responsiveness. Maternal responsiveness to stressed neonates can ameliorate the social–developmental effects of early illness. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 42: 17–34, 2003.