Response to a conditioned aversive event in mice as a function of frequency of premating maternal shock

Abstract

AbstractPrior to mating, female mice were exposed to either 0, 1, or 60 shocks per day for 20 days. When the food reinforced operant responding of their adult offspring was observed in the presence of a conditioned aversive stimulus, a nonmonotonic relationship was found between frequency of maternal shock and degree of conditioned suppression in female offspring. During the 2nd session of a 3‐session test period the females reared by mothers that had received either 0 or 60 shocks per day showed greater conditioned suppression than those whose mothers had received 1 shock per day. Maternal treatment also had significant effects on maternal weight, offspring litter size and weaning weight, and frequency of defecation during the conditioned suppression procedure. In the latter instances, however, negative monotonic relationships were observed in both sexes. The data indicate that an interpretation in terms of an a priori classification of “emotionality” is not adequate.