Early handling effect on female rat spatial and non-spatial learning and memory.
This study aims at providing an insight into early handling procedures on learning and memory performance in adult female rats. Early handling procedures were started on post-natal day 2 until 21, and consisted in 15 min, daily separations of the dams from their litters. Assessment of declarative memory was carried out in the novel-object recognition task; spatial learning, reference- and working memory were evaluated in the Morris water maze (MWM). Our results indicate that early handling induced an enhancement in: (1) declarative memory, in the object recognition task, both at 1h and 24h intervals; (2) reference memory in the probe test and working memory and behavioral flexibility in the "single-trial and four-trial place learning paradigm" of the MWM. Short-term separation by increasing maternal care causes a dampening in HPA axis response in the pups. A modulated activation of the stress response may help to protect brain structures, involved in cognitive function. In conclusion, this study shows the long-term effects of a brief maternal separation in enhancing object recognition-, spatial reference- and working memory in female rats, remarking the impact of early environmental experiences and the consequent maternal care on the behavioral adaptive mechanisms in adulthood.
Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother and Child Care "Giuseppe D'Alessandro", University of Palermo, V. Vespro 129, 90127 Palermo, Italy.
Fulvio
F
Plescia
Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother and Child Care "Giuseppe D'Alessandro", University of Palermo, V. Vespro 129, 90127 Palermo, Italy.
Rosa A M
RA
Marino
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine and Pharmacology, Section of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Messina, Italy.
Michele
M
Navarra
Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother and Child Care "Giuseppe D'Alessandro", University of Palermo, V. Vespro 129, 90127 Palermo, Italy.
Giuditta
G
Gambino
Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother and Child Care "Giuseppe D'Alessandro", University of Palermo, V. Vespro 129, 90127 Palermo, Italy.
Anna
A
Brancato
Dipartimento di Biomedicina Sperimentale e Neuroscienze Cliniche, Sezione di Fisiologia umana "G. Pagano", Universita'degli Studi di Palermo, Corso Tukory 129, 90134 Palermo, Italy.
Pierangelo
P
Sardo
Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother and Child Care "Giuseppe D'Alessandro", University of Palermo, V. Vespro 129, 90127 Palermo, Italy. Electronic address: carla.cannizzaro@unipa.it.
Carla
C
Cannizzaro
D000818:Animals; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006234:Handling, Psychological; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D008426:Maternal Deprivation; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000502:physiology
Behavioral flexibility; Declarative memory; Early handling; Female rats; Maternal care; Working memory