Alterations in the maternal behavior of rats rearing malnourished offspring.
Investigations of maternal behavior of mothers fed a low-protein diet indicated deficits in retrieval and in the rate of nest-building. In addition, they indicated a concomitant increase in time spent with young when assessed during periods not associated with the retrieval/nest-building test session. The adrenalectomized mother, another case that produces growth-stunted progeny, was compared with both low-protein and control mothers for maternal behavior. Unlike the low-protein mother, the adrenalectomized mother did not exhibit retrieval or nest-building deficits; however, the adrenalectomized mother did display an increase in time spent with young. These data suggest that although deficits in retrieval and nest-building can be attributed to the nutritional condition of the mother, the stimulus characteristics of the malnourished pup are important in eliciting the increased time spent with the litter.
D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000502:physiology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D009425:Nesting Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D011488:Protein Deficiency / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats