Adverse rearing experiences enhance responding to both aversive and rewarding stimuli in juvenile rhesus monkeys.
BACKGROUND
While adverse rearing is thought to alter threat responding, the effects on appetitive behavior remains minimally explored. This study examines the effects that early life emotional adversity has on response to both threatening and appetitive stimuli in juvenile rhesus monkeys.


METHODS
Twenty-four, 2-year-old monkeys with differential rearing histories were tested for fear-potentiated startle responding and consumption of an artificially sweetened solution.


RESULTS
Relative to monkeys reared under typical conditions, monkeys removed from their mothers at birth and reared with peers demonstrated both increases in reward responding, as evidenced by greater consumption of a palatable solution in a free choice test, and increased threat responding, as evidenced by enhanced fear-potentiated startle responding.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggest that early rearing impacts juvenile manifestations of both appetitive and aversive emotional systems. Results are discussed in the context of development, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse.
Nelson
Eric E
EE
Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda 20892, USA. nelsone@mail.nih.gov
Herman
Khalisa N
KN
Barrett
Catherine E
CE
Noble
Pamela L
PL
Wojteczko
Kimberly
K
Chisholm
Kelli
K
Delaney
Deborah
D
Ernst
Monique
M
Fox
Nathan A
NA
Suomi
Stephen J
SJ
Winslow
James T
JT
Pine
Daniel S
DS
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001218:Aspartame / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000502:physiology; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000502:physiology; D005239:Fear; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000502:physiology; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008297:Male; D008426:Maternal Deprivation; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000502:physiology*; D012201:Reward; D012934:Social Isolation; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage
D013549:Sweetening Agents; D001218:Aspartame