scholarly journals An acute dose of intranasal oxytocin rapidly increases maternal communication and maintains maternal care in primiparous postpartum California mice

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. e0244033
Author(s):  
Caleigh D. Guoynes ◽  
Catherine A. Marler
Keyword(s):  
Maternal Care ◽  
Behavioral Changes ◽  
Wire Mesh ◽  
Offspring Survival ◽  
Testing Chamber ◽  
Pup Retrieval ◽  
Normal Increase ◽  
Physical Access ◽  
California Mice ◽  
Separation Test

Maternal-offspring communication and care are essential for offspring survival. Oxytocin (OXT) is known for its role in initiation of maternal care, but whether OXT can rapidly influence maternal behavior or ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs; above 50 kHz) has not been examined. To test for rapid effects of OXT, California mouse mothers were administered an acute intranasal (IN) dose of OXT (0.8 IU/kg) or saline followed by a separation test with three phases: habituation with pups in a new testing chamber, separation via a wire mesh, and finally reunion with pups. We measured maternal care, maternal USVs, and pup USVs. In mothers, we primarily observed simple sweep USVs, a short downward sweeping call around 50 kHz, and in pups we only observed pup whines, a long call with multiple harmonics ranging from 20 kHz to 50 kHz. We found that IN OXT rapidly and selectively enhanced the normal increase in maternal simple sweep USVs when mothers had physical access to pups (habituation and reunion), but not when mothers were physically separated from pups. Frequency of mothers’ and pups’ USVs were correlated upon reunion, but IN OXT did not influence this correlation. Finally, mothers given IN OXT showed more efficient pup retrieval/carrying and greater total maternal care upon reunion. Behavioral changes were specific to maternal behaviors (e.g. retrievals) as mothers given IN OXT did not differ from controls in stress-related behaviors (e.g. freezing). Overall, these findings highlight the rapid effects and context-dependent effect a single treatment with IN OXT has on both maternal USV production and offspring care.

scholarly journals An acute dose of intranasal oxytocin rapidly increases maternal communication and maintains maternal care in primiparous postpartum California mice

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caleigh D. Guoynes ◽  
Catherine A. Marler
Keyword(s):  
Maternal Care ◽  
Behavioral Changes ◽  
Ultrasonic Vocalizations ◽  
Wire Mesh ◽  
Offspring Survival ◽  
Testing Chamber ◽  
Normal Increase ◽  
Physical Access ◽  
California Mice ◽  
Separation Test

AbstractMaternal-offspring communication and care are essential for offspring survival. Oxytocin (OXT) is known for its role in initiation of maternal care, but whether OXT can rapidly influence maternal behavior or ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs; above 50 kHz) has not been examined. To test for rapid effects of OXT, California mouse mothers were administered an acute intranasal (IN) dose of OXT (0.8 IU/kg) followed by a separation test with three phases: habituation with pups in a new testing chamber, separation via a wire mesh, and finally reunion with pups. We measured maternal care, maternal USVs, and pup USVs. In mothers, we primarily observed simple sweep USVs, a short downward sweeping call around 50 kHz, and in pups we only observed pup whines, a long call with multiple harmonics ranging from 20 kHz to 50 kHz. We found that IN OXT rapidly and selectively enhanced the normal increase in maternal simple sweep USVs when mothers had physical access to pups (habituation and reunion), but not when mothers were physically separated from pups. Maternal-pup USVs were correlated upon reunion, but IN OXT did not influence this correlation. Finally, mothers given IN OXT showed a more positive change in retrievals/carrying and greater total maternal care upon reunion. Behavioral changes were specific to maternal behaviors (e.g. retrievals) as mothers given IN OXT did not differ from controls in stress-related behaviors (e.g. freezing). Overall, these findings highlight the rapid effects and context-dependent effect a single dose of IN OXT has on both maternal USV production and offspring care.

scholarly journals Oxytocin neurons enable social transmission of maternal behaviour

Nature ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ioana Carcea ◽  
Naomi López Caraballo ◽  
Bianca J. Marlin ◽  
Rumi Ooyama ◽  
Justin S. Riceberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Paraventricular Nucleus ◽  
Maternal Care ◽  
Cortical Plasticity ◽  
Social Transmission ◽  
Maternal Behaviour ◽  
Offspring Survival ◽  
Parental Experience ◽  
Neural Recordings ◽  
Biological Parents ◽  
Pup Retrieval

AbstractMaternal care, including by non-biological parents, is important for offspring survival1–8. Oxytocin1,2,9–15, which is released by the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN), is a critical maternal hormone. In mice, oxytocin enables neuroplasticity in the auditory cortex for maternal recognition of pup distress15. However, it is unclear how initial parental experience promotes hypothalamic signalling and cortical plasticity for reliable maternal care. Here we continuously monitored the behaviour of female virgin mice co-housed with an experienced mother and litter. This documentary approach was synchronized with neural recordings from the virgin PVN, including oxytocin neurons. These cells were activated as virgins were enlisted in maternal care by experienced mothers, who shepherded virgins into the nest and demonstrated pup retrieval. Virgins visually observed maternal retrieval, which activated PVN oxytocin neurons and promoted alloparenting. Thus rodents can acquire maternal behaviour by social transmission, providing a mechanism for adapting the brains of adult caregivers to infant needs via endogenous oxytocin.

scholarly journals Vitamin D is crucial for maternal care and offspring social behaviour in rats

2018 ◽  
Vol 237 (2) ◽  
pp. 73-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathanael J Yates ◽  
Dijana Tesic ◽  
Kirk W Feindel ◽  
Jeremy T Smith ◽  
Michael W Clarke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin D ◽  
Vitamin D Deficiency ◽  
Maternal Care ◽  
Social Behaviour ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Brain Morphology ◽  
Male Adult ◽  
Expression Of Genes ◽  
Pup Retrieval

Early life vitamin D plays a prominent role in neurodevelopment and subsequent brain function, including schizophrenic-like outcomes and increasing evidence for an association with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Here, we investigate how early life vitamin D deficiency during rat pregnancy and lactation alters maternal care and influences neurodevelopment and affective, cognitive and social behaviours in male adult offspring. Sprague–Dawley rats were placed on either a vitamin D control (2195 IU/kg) or deficient diet (0 IU/kg) for five weeks before timed mating, and diet exposure was maintained until weaning of offspring on postnatal day (PND) 23. MRI scans were conducted to assess brain morphology, and plasma corticosterone levels and neural expression of genes associated with language, dopamine and glucocorticoid exposure were characterised at PND1, PND12 and 4 months of age. Compared to controls, vitamin D-deficient dams exhibited decreased licking and grooming of their pups but no differences in pup retrieval. Offspring neurodevelopmental markers were unaltered, but vitamin D-deficient pup ultrasonic vocalisations were atypical. As adults, males that had been exposed to vitamin D deficiency in early life exhibited decreased social behaviour, impaired learning and memory outcomes and increased grooming behaviour, but unaltered affective behaviours. Accompanying these behavioural changes was an increase in lateral ventricle volume, decreased cortical FOXP2 (a protein implicated in language and communication) and altered neural expression of genes involved in dopamine and glucocorticoid-related pathways. These data highlight that early life levels of vitamin D are an important consideration for maternal behavioural adaptations as well as offspring neuropsychiatry.

scholarly journals Non-genomic transmission of paternal behaviour between fathers and sons in the monogamous and biparental California mouse

2013 ◽  
Vol 280 (1763) ◽  
pp. 20130824 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin D. Gleason ◽  
Catherine A. Marler
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Future Generations ◽  
Maternal Behaviour ◽  
Offspring Survival ◽  
Behavioural Development ◽  
Adult Sons ◽  
Peromyscus Californicus ◽  
Fathers And Sons ◽  
California Mice ◽  
Health And Well Being

Maternal behaviour has profound, long-lasting implications for the health and well-being of developing offspring. In the monogamous California mouse ( Peromyscus californicus ), care by both parents is critical for offspring survival. We tested the hypothesis that similar to maternal care in rodents, paternal huddling and grooming (HG) behaviour can be transmitted to future generations via behavioural mechanisms. In California mice, testosterone maintains paternal HG behaviour. In the present study, we randomly assigned a group of male California mice to castration or sham-operated conditions and allowed them to raise their offspring normally. Adult sons of these males were paired with a female, and they were observed interacting with their own offspring. We found that like their fathers, the sons of castrated males huddled and groomed their young at lower levels than the sons of sham-operated fathers. The sons of castrates also retrieved pups more frequently. When both parents were present, the sons of castrates also showed a trend towards engaging in less exploratory behaviour. These data support the hypothesis that paternal behaviour, like maternal behaviour, can be transferred to future generations via epigenetic mechanisms and suggest that in a biparental species both parents contribute to offspring behavioural development.

scholarly journals Oxytocin Neurons Enable Social Transmission of Maternal Behavior

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ioana Carcea ◽  
Naomi López Caraballo ◽  
Bianca J. Marlin ◽  
Rumi Ooyama ◽  
Justin S. Riceberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Interactions ◽  
Paraventricular Nucleus ◽  
Maternal Behavior ◽  
Maternal Care ◽  
Cortical Plasticity ◽  
Social Transmission ◽  
Infant Vocalizations ◽  
Biological Parents ◽  
Pup Retrieval ◽  
Molecular Signal

AbstractMaternal care is profoundly important for mammalian survival, and non-biological parents can express it after experience with infants. One critical molecular signal for maternal behavior is oxytocin, a hormone centrally released by hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN). Oxytocin enables plasticity within the auditory cortex, a necessary step for responding to infant vocalizations. To determine how this change occurs during natural experience, we continuously monitored homecage behavior of female virgin mice co-housed for days with an experienced mother and litter, synchronized with recordings from virgin PVN cells, including from oxytocin neurons. Mothers engaged virgins in maternal care by ensuring their nest presence, and demonstrated maternal behavior in self-generated pup retrieval episodes. These social interactions activated virgin PVN and gated behaviorally-relevant cortical plasticity for pup vocalizations. Thus rodents can acquire maternal behavior by social transmission, and our results describe a mechanism for adapting brains of adult caregivers to infant needs via endogenous oxytocin.One Sentence SummaryMother mice help co-housed virgins become maternal by enacting specific behaviors that activate virgin oxytocin neurons.

scholarly journals Neurotoxicity and Behavioral Changes Following Sub-Chronic Administration of Aqueous Extract of Erythrophleum Ivorense Stem Bark in Mice

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Olamide Adebiyi ◽  
◽  
Oluwasina Ajayi ◽  
Funmilayo Olopade ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Grip Strength ◽  
Purkinje Cells ◽  
Morris Water Maze ◽  
Aqueous Extract ◽  
Water Maze ◽  
Motor Coordination ◽  
Behavioral Changes ◽  
Wire Mesh ◽  
Morris Water Maze Test ◽  
Dependent Manner

Erythrophleum ivorense (EI) is a tree found across tropical Africa. The bark of EI is widely used as hunting poisons for animals and ordeal poison in humans. Ingestion of this plant causes paralysis, respiratory distress and amnesia. In folklore, these behavioral changes have been attributed to guilt in victims; nonetheless, scientific evidence in support of this claim does not exist. Thus, there is the need to validate the mechanism of neurotoxicity and behavioral alteration of this plant. Methods: BALB/c male mice (n=48) were randomly divided into four groups. The test groups were administered aqueous extract of EI in a single daily graded doses (5, 10 and 15 mg/kg according to the body weight) for a duration 28 days while the control received distilled water. Motor coordination, learning, memory and grip strength was thereafter accessed with wire grip, Morris water maze and inverted wire mesh grid grip tests respectively. Histological staining of brain sections was also carried out. At all tested doses aqueous extract of EI caused significant reduction in hanging latency, significantly increased escape latency and decreased duration in the target platform during the Morris water maze test relative to the control. Decreased grip strength was also observed in the test groups compared to control. Histology revealed dysmorphic and disoriented Purkinje cells and loss of Purkinje cell layer of the cerebellum. Erythrophleum ivorense administration altered motor coordination, learning and memory and grip strength in mice in a dose-dependent manner. It also caused disruption of granule cells layer, loss of Purkinje cells and altered cerebellar anatomy leading to motor deficits in mice.

Prolonged milk provisioning in a jumping spider

Science ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 362 (6418) ◽  
pp. 1052-1055 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhanqi Chen ◽  
Richard T. Corlett ◽  
Xiaoguo Jiao ◽  
Sheng-Jie Liu ◽  
Tristan Charles-Dominique ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Parental Care ◽  
Maternal Care ◽  
Offspring Survival ◽  
Animal Kingdom ◽  
Jumping Spider ◽  
Early Stages ◽  
Adult Sex Ratio ◽  
Sexually Mature

Lactation is a mammalian attribute, and the few known nonmammal examples have distinctly different modalities. We document here milk provisioning in a jumping spider, which compares functionally and behaviorally to lactation in mammals. The spiderlings ingest nutritious milk droplets secreted from the mother’s epigastric furrow until the subadult stage. Milk is indispensable for offspring survival in the early stages and complements their foraging in later stages. Maternal care, as for some long-lived vertebrates, continues after the offspring reach maturity. Furthermore, a female-biased adult sex ratio is acquired only when the mother is present. These findings demonstrate that mammal-like milk provisioning and parental care for sexually mature offspring have also evolved in invertebrates, encouraging a reevaluation of their occurrence across the animal kingdom, especially in invertebrates.

scholarly journals Maternal behavior and the neonatal HPA axis in the Wistar Audiogenic Rat (WAR) strain: early life implications for a genetic animal model in epilepsy

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lívea Dornela Godoy ◽  
Norberto Garcia-Cairasco
Keyword(s):  
Hpa Axis ◽  
Maternal Behavior ◽  
Maternal Care ◽  
Stressful Events ◽  
Multistage Process ◽  
Corticosterone Concentration ◽  
Genetic Animal Model ◽  
Pup Retrieval ◽  
Maternal Defense ◽  
Hpa Axis Activity

AbstractEpileptogenesis is a multistage process and seizure susceptibility can be influenced by stress early in life. Wistar Audiogenic Rat (WAR) strain is an interesting model to study the association between stress and epilepsy, since it is naturally susceptible to seizures and present changes in the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity. All these features are related to the pathogenic mechanisms usually associated to psychiatric comorbidities present in epilepsy. Therefore, the current study aimed to evaluate the neonate HPA axis function and maternal care under control and stress conditions in the WAR strain. Maternal behavior and neonate HPA axis were evaluated in Wistar and WAR strains under rest and after the presence of stressors. We observed that WAR pups present higher plasmatic corticosterone concentration as compared to Wistar pups. Although WAR dams do not show significant altered maternal behavior at rest, there is a higher latency to recover the litter in the pup retrieval test, while some did not recover all the litter. WAR dams presented similar behaviors to Wistar dams to a female intruder and maternal care with the pups in the maternal defense test. Taken together, these findings indicate that the WAR strain could show HPA axis disruption early in life and dams present altered maternal behavior under stressful events. Those alterations make the WAR strain an interesting model to evaluate vulnerability to epilepsy and its associated neuropsychiatric comorbidities.

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