title: Neuroanatomical changes in a mouse model of early life neglect.
abstract: Using a novel mouse model of early life neglect and abuse (ENA) based on maternal separation with early weaning, George et al. (BMC Neurosci 11:123, 2010) demonstrated behavioral abnormalities in adult mice, and Bordner et al. (Front Psychiatry 2(18):1-18, 2011) described concomitant changes in mRNA and protein expression. Using the same model, here we report neuroanatomical changes that include smaller brain size and abnormal inter-hemispheric asymmetry, decreases in cortical thickness, abnormalities in subcortical structures, and white matter disorganization and atrophy most severely affecting the left hemisphere. Because of the similarities between the neuroanatomical changes observed in our mouse model and those described in human survivors of ENA, this novel animal model is potentially useful for studies of human ENA too costly or cumbersome to be carried out in primates. Moreover, our current knowledge of the mouse genome makes this model particularly suited for targeted anatomical, molecular, and pharmacological experimentation not yet possible in other species.
authors: Department of Neurobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511-6624, USA.
authors: Alvaro
authors: A
authors: Duque
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Coman
authors: Becky C
authors: BC
authors: Carlyle
authors: Kelly A
authors: KA
authors: Bordner
authors: Elizabeth D
authors: ED
authors: George
authors: Xenophon
authors: X
authors: Papademetris
authors: Fahmeed
authors: F
authors: Hyder
authors: Arthur A
authors: AA
authors: Simen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000502:physiology*; D001284:Atrophy; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000473:pathology; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D008426:Maternal Deprivation; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D023421:Models, Animal; D014886:Weaning