title: Maternal care, hippocampal synaptogenesis and cognitive development in rats.
abstract: We report that variations in maternal care in the rat promote hippocampal synaptogenesis and spatial learning and memory through systems known to mediate experience-dependent neural development. Thus, the offspring of mothers that show high levels of pup licking and grooming and arched-back nursing showed increased expression of NMDA receptor subunit and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA, increased cholinergic innervation of the hippocampus and enhanced spatial learning and memory. A cross-fostering study provided evidence for a direct relationship between maternal behavior and hippocampal development, although not all neonates were equally sensitive to variations in maternal care.
authors.affiliation: Developmental Neuroendocrinology Laboratory, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology & Neurosurgery, McGill University, 6875 Boul. LaSalle, Montréal H4H 1R3, Canada.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Diorio
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Day
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Francis
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Meaney
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006120:Grooming; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000235:genetics*; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate