title: Pre-reproductive maternal enrichment influences offspring developmental trajectories: motor behavior and neurotrophin expression.
abstract: Environmental enrichment is usually applied immediately after weaning or in adulthood, with strong effects on CNS anatomy and behavior. To examine the hypothesis that a pre-reproductive environmental enrichment of females could affect the motor development of their offspring, female rats were reared in an enriched environment from weaning to sexual maturity, while other female rats used as controls were reared under standard conditions. Following mating with standard-reared males, all females were housed individually. To evaluate the eventual transgenerational influence of positive pre-reproductive maternal experiences, postural and motor development of male pups was analyzed from birth to weaning. Moreover, expression of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Nerve Growth Factor in different brain regions was evaluated at birth and weaning. Pre-reproductive environmental enrichment of females affected the offspring motor development, as indicated by the earlier acquisition of complex motor abilities displayed by the pups of enriched females. The earlier acquisition of motor abilities was associated with enhanced neurotrophin levels in striatum and cerebellum. In conclusion, maternal positive experiences were transgenerationally transmitted, and influenced offspring phenotype at both behavioral and biochemical levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University "Sapienza" of Rome Rome, Italy ; I.R.C.C.S. Santa Lucia Foundation Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Caporali
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University "Sapienza" of Rome Rome, Italy ; I.R.C.C.S. Santa Lucia Foundation Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Debora
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cutuli
authors.affiliation: I.R.C.C.S. Santa Lucia Foundation Rome, Italy ; Department of Systemic Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata" Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gelfo
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University "Sapienza" of Rome Rome, Italy ; I.R.C.C.S. Santa Lucia Foundation Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Laricchiuta
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University "Sapienza" of Rome Rome, Italy ; I.R.C.C.S. Santa Lucia Foundation Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Foti
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University "Sapienza" of Rome Rome, Italy ; I.R.C.C.S. Santa Lucia Foundation Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Bartolo
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University "Sapienza" of Rome Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mancini
authors.affiliation: I.R.C.C.S. Santa Lucia Foundation Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Angelucci
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University "Sapienza" of Rome Rome, Italy ; I.R.C.C.S. Santa Lucia Foundation Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Petrosini
keywords: BDNF; NGF; environmental enrichment; maternal experiences; motor development; pups; rats