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Effects of maternal deprivation and the duration of reunion time on rat pup ultrasonic vocalization responses to isolation: Possible implications for human infant studies
Author(s) -
Shair Harry N.,
Rupert Deborah D.,
Rosko Lauren M.,
Hofer Myron A.,
Myers Michael M.,
Welch Martha G.
Publication year - 2015
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.21258
Subject(s) - maternal deprivation , psychology , long term potentiation , olfactory cues , developmental psychology , physiology , audiology , medicine , olfaction , neuroscience , receptor
In a paradigm that may serve as a translational model for maternal separation experiences of human infants in neonatal intensive care units, we examined how the duration of reunion with the dam influenced the phenomenon of maternal potentiation of ultrasonic vocalizations, in which isolated rat pups increase rates of vocalization following brief interactions with dams. We report that maternal potentiation in 12–13 day‐old rats did not occur after reunions with their anesthetized dam that lasted longer than 15–min. However, after 18 hr maternal separation, isolated pups given reunions with their anesthetized dam increased vocalization rate even with reunions as long as 3 hr. Using a split‐cage apparatus that prevented physical contact, the impact of 18 hr separations on maternal potentiation was partially offset by experiencing olfactory and/or auditory stimuli of the mother. These results suggest that maintaining partial maternal sensory exposure during prolonged maternal separation can reduce responses elicited by subsequent maternal separation. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc . Dev Psychobiol 57: 63–72, 2015.