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Adolescent experience affects postnatal ultrasonic vocalizations and gene expression in future offspring
Author(s) -
Bodi Caroline M.,
Vassoler Fair M.,
Byrnes Elizabeth M.
Publication year - 2016
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.21411
Subject(s) - offspring , nucleus accumbens , psychology , maternal deprivation , distress , endocrinology , saline , hypothalamus , medicine , receptor , dopamine , developmental psychology , biology , neuroscience , pregnancy , clinical psychology , genetics
The present study measured postnatal ultrasonic vocalization (USV) and gene expression to examine potential changes in communication and/or attachment in the offspring of mothers exposed to morphine during adolescence. Offspring of morphine‐exposed (Mor‐F1), saline‐exposed (Sal‐F1), or non‐handled control (Con‐F1) female Sprague–Dawley rats were tested for separation‐induced distress calls and maternal potentiation of distress calls during early postnatal development. We also examined relative expression of dopamine D2 receptor and mu opioid receptor (oprm1) mRNA in the nucleus accumbens and hypothalamus in these offspring, as their activity has been implicated in the regulation of postnatal USV in response to maternal separation. The findings indicate that adolescent experiences of future mothers, including their 10 daily saline or morphine injections, can result in significant region‐specific differences in gene expression. In addition, these experiences resulted in fewer numbers of separation‐induced distress calls produced by offspring. In contrast, augmented maternal potentiation was only observed in Mor‐F1 offspring. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 58:714–723, 2016.