title: Maternal separation and early stress cause long-lasting effects on dopaminergic and endocannabinergic systems and alters dendritic morphology in the nucleus accumbens and frontal cortex in rats.
abstract: A considerable amount experimental studies have shown that maternal separation (MS) is associated with adult offspring abnormal behavior and cognition disorder. Accordingly, this experimental procedure has been proposed as a predictor for alcohol and drug dependence based on the neurodevelopmental soon after birth. Endocannabinoid system (eCBs) has been implicated in reward processes, including drug abuse and dependence. MS and associated stress causes changes in the eCBs that seem to facilitate alcohol consumption. In this study, we seek to evaluate potential morphological changes in neurons of the frontal cortex (FCx) and nucleus accumbens (NAcc), in the expression of receptors and enzymes of the endocannabinoid and dopamine systems and in second messengers, such as Akt, in adult rats subjected to MS and early stress (MS + ES; 2 × 180 min daily) vs. nonseparated rats (NMS). Results showed that MS + ES induces higher D2R expression and lower D3R, FAAH, and MAGL expression compared with NMS rats. Alterations in total dendritic length were also detected and were characterized by increases in the NAcc while there were decreases in the FCx. We believe MS + ES-induced changes in the dopaminergic and endocannabinergic systems and in the neuronal microstructure might be contributing to alcohol seeking behavior and, potential vulnerability to other drugs in rats. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 76: 819-831, 2016.
authors.affiliation: Departamento De Fisiología, Laboratorio De Canabinoides, Facultad De Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma De México, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Romano-López
authors.affiliation: Departamento De Fisiología, Laboratorio De Canabinoides, Facultad De Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma De México, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Méndez-Díaz
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio De Biología Del Sueño, Instituto De Ciencias De La Salud, Universidad Veracruzana, 91160, Ver., Mexico.
authors.forename: Fabio García
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: García
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio De Biología Del Sueño, Instituto De Ciencias De La Salud, Universidad Veracruzana, 91160, Ver., Mexico.
authors.forename: Citlalli
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Regalado-Santiago
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio De Neurogenómica Cognitiva, Coordinación De Psicofisiología, Facultad De Psicología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma De México, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Alejandra E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Contreras
authors.affiliation: Departamento De Fisiología, Laboratorio De Canabinoides, Facultad De Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma De México, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Prospéro-García
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003712:Dendrites / Q000473:pathology*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D063388:Endocannabinoids / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000166:cytology*; D008297:Male; D008426:Maternal Deprivation; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000166:cytology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D063388:Endocannabinoids; D004298:Dopamine
keywords: dendritic length; dopaminergic system; early stress; endocannabinoid system; maternal separation