Infantile Stimulation Produces Mild Enhancement in a Primary Humoral Response of Adult Albino Rats

Rat pups from 12 litters were handled daily, once every three days, or never touched between postnatal Days 5 and 20. At 100 days of age, 20 days after inoculation with human serum albumin, trunk blood was obtained to measure the antigen binding capacity (ABC). Rats handled as infants displayed relative immunofacilitation compared to those that had not been handled; the effect explained 7% of the variance in ABC values. In comparison, sex differences explained 14% of the variance. The results support the hypothesis that early disruptions in mother-infant bonding increase the likelihood of developing allergic responses following exposure to novel antigens during adulthood.