title: Early postpartum pup preference is altered by gestational cocaine treatment: associations with infant cues and oxytocin expression in the MPOA.
abstract: Cross-fostering studies suggest cocaine-induced deficits in maternal behavior could be associated with altered behavior of offspring following prenatal cocaine-exposure. Neonatal vocalizations are an important offspring cue facilitating early interactions between dam and rodent pup offspring and have been shown to be altered following prenatal cocaine-exposure. It is unclear how variations in acoustic parameters of USVs impact maternal behavior and the mechanism(s) underlying these processes. The present study examined differences in cocaine-exposed and control rodent dam maternal preference of cocaine-exposed or untreated pups in a dual choice apparatus. Relationship of preference-like behavior with pup USVs and dam oxytocin expression was explored. Gestational cocaine-exposure interfered with preference-like behavior of dams on postpartum day 1 with cocaine-exposure associated with decreased time spent on the cocaine-exposed pup side compared to the control pup side, and decreases in preference-like behavior associated in part with decreased number of USVs being emitted by cocaine-exposed pups. On postpartum day 5, decreased oxytocin expression in the medial preoptic area was associated with altered preference-like behavior in cocaine-exposed dams, including frequency and latency to touch/sniff pups. Results indicate cocaine's effects on the mother-infant relationship is likely synergistic, in that cocaine influences mother and offspring both independently and concertedly and that variations within pup vocalizations and the oxytocin system may be potential mechanism(s) underlying this synergistic relationship during the postpartum period.
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina, Curriculum in Neurobiology, United States; University of North Carolina, Department of Psychiatry, United States.
authors.forename: E T Cox
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Lippard
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina, Curriculum in Neurobiology, United States; University of North Carolina, Department of Psychiatry, United States; University of North Carolina, MD-PhD Program, United States.
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Jarrett
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychology, United States.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: McMurray
authors.affiliation: Levine Children's Hospital at Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, NC, United States.
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Zeskind
authors.affiliation: Levine Children's Hospital at Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, NC, United States.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Garber
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina, Department of Psychiatry, United States.
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Zoghby
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina, Department of Psychology, United States.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Glaze
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina, Department of Psychology, United States.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tate
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina, Curriculum in Neurobiology, United States; University of North Carolina, Department of Psychiatry, United States; University of North Carolina, Department of Psychology, United States. Electronic address: joey_johns@med.unc.edu.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Johns
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D003042:Cocaine / Q000633:toxicity*; D003463:Cues; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000378:metabolism*; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011301:Preoptic Area / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014828:Vocalization, Animal / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; D010121:Oxytocin; D003042:Cocaine
keywords: Cocaine; MPOA; Maternal behavior; Oxytocin; Vocalization