title: Early maternal deprivation-induced modifications in the neurobiological, neurochemical and behavioral profile of adult rats.
abstract: Early maternal deprivation (MD) is an animal model of neurodevelopmental stress associated with a variety of abnormalities during adulthood. The present study investigated specific behavioral, neurochemical and neurobiological parameters related to dopaminergic and serotonergic function in adult rats subjected to early life MD. Behavioral responses, including the reaction to novelty, the response to d-amphetamine (d-AMP) and the susceptibility to apomorphine (APO) were evaluated in adulthood. Dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) levels, their metabolites along with their turnover ratios were assessed in distinct rat brain regions. The impact of MD on DARPP-32 protein, D2 and 5-HT2A receptor expression was also estimated in the same brain regions during adulthood. Our results indicated that MD rats were more reactive to novelty behavior and more sensitive to dopaminergic agonists compared to controls. MD rats displayed elevated dopaminergic and serotonergic function in the amygdala and prefrontal cortex, whereas in the striatum only the dopaminergic activity was also increased. Interestingly, MD induced a region-dependent modulation of D2, 5-HT2A receptor and DARPP-32 protein expression. Our findings clearly indicated that early MD stress produces long term behavioral impairments and region-dependent modifications in various neurochemical and neurobiological indices of dopaminergic and serotonergic function in brain regions holding critical roles in the pathophysiology of central nervous system disorders.
authors: Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina GR-45110, Greece.
authors: Georgia
authors: G
authors: Rentesi
authors: Katerina
authors: K
authors: Antoniou
authors: Marios
authors: M
authors: Marselos
authors: Marika
authors: M
authors: Syrrou
authors: Zeta
authors: Z
authors: Papadopoulou-Daifoti
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Konstandi
mesh_terms: D000679:Amygdala / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001058:Apomorphine / Q000494:pharmacology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000378:metabolism; D003913:Dextroamphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D051937:Dopamine and cAMP-Regulated Phosphoprotein 32 / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008426:Maternal Deprivation; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D044402:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A / Q000378:metabolism; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051937:Dopamine and cAMP-Regulated Phosphoprotein 32; D044402:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D012701:Serotonin; D001058:Apomorphine; D003913:Dextroamphetamine; D004298:Dopamine