Early and later adoptions differently modify mother-pup interactions.
Life events occurring during the perinatal period have strong long-term effects. In rats, prenatal stress, postnatal maternal separations, or adoptions at different periods are known to affect behavior and reactivity to stress in offspring. To determine the role of maternal factors on differential outcome adoptions, the authors investigated interactions between pups and the adopting mothers by assessing both pups' ultrasound emissions and maternal behavior. Early and late adoptions increased mother care at the moment of adoption and during mother-infant reunion after a separation procedure. However, although early adoption induced a decrease in pups' ultrasound emissions in response to a stressful separation, later adoptions enhanced it. Results suggest a sensitive period during which fostering may change pups' and dams' behavior.
Darnaudéry
Muriel
M
Laboratory of Perinatal Stress, Unite Propre de Recherche l'Enseignement Superieur-Jeune Equipe 2365, University of Lille 1, Bâtiment Sn4.1, 59655 Villeneuve d'Ascq, France.
Koehl
Muriel
M
Barbazanges
Arnaud
A
Cabib
Simona
S
Le Moal
Michel
M
Maccari
Stefania
S
D000300:Adoption / Q000523:psychology*; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000254:growth & development / Q000523:psychology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D008426:Maternal Deprivation; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013997:Time Factors; D014465:Ultrasonics; D014828:Vocalization, Animal / Q000502:physiology