Abstract
Previous research has demonstrated that rats reared in isolation from their dam and littermates show altered behavioral responsiveness to both natural and drug-mediated rewards. This study examined the effects of complete maternal deprivation through the use of artificial rearing on neural activation after acute morphine exposure in adulthood. Male rats were either artificially reared (AR) or maternally reared (MR) from postnatal day 5 to 21. In adulthood (4 mo old), rats received a single injection of morphine sulfate (10 mg/kg) or equivolume saline 2 h before perfusion and brain extraction. Neural activation was quantified using Fos immunohistochemistry. Analyses of several brain regions revealed a consistent pattern of differences between AR and MR rats. Specifically, relative to MR rats, AR rats showed significantly greater morphine-induced Fos-immunoreactivity in brain regions associated with the mesocorticolimbic "reward" pathway. These results support the hypothesis that functional activity in reward neurocircuitry can be altered by early life experience.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
