Sex-selective effect of early life stress in mice

Date

2021-12

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Abstract

Early life stress has a profound impact on brain development and Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal axis (HPA axis) dysregulation. early life stressors can lead to the onset of psychiatric disorders including anxiety, major depressive disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder. In addition, the effect of ELS is sex-selective in nature in the onset and development of stress-related disorders in humans. Animal models have been extensively used to assess the effects of ELS. But most of the available studies have used adult animals, and data on the ELS effect on adolescent animals is scarce. In addition, whether ELS affects these animals in a sex-selective way or not is still elusive. This research aimed to examine how an early life stressor influences anxiety- and depression-like behavior in adolescent C57BL/6 mice, and the difference between the sexes. Male and female C57BL/6 mice were used, and the stressor was introduced by limiting the supply of bedding and nesting material available (Early ELS: PND2-PND12; Late ELS: PND12-PND22). Different time points in the lifespan (during adolescence and adulthood) were chosen for the open field test and forced swimming test. ELS did not affect anxiety- and depressive-like behavior in males. Both the early- and late ELS males were resilient to stress. Only early ELS adolescent females showed anxiety-like behavior in open field tests, and late ELS adult females had depressive-like symptoms. The present study demonstrated that early life stress-induced anxiety-like behavior during adolescence and depressive-like behavior in adulthood in a sex-selective way. Females are susceptible to ELS and showed depressive-like phenotype in the FST but males developed strategies to adapt during stressful situations, with no depressive-like phenotype in the FST.


Embargo status: Restricted to TTU community only. To view, login with your eRaider (top right). Others may request the author grant access exception by clicking on the PDF link to the left.

Description

Keywords

Early Life Stress, Anxiety, Depression, Limited Bedding and Nesting Paradigm, Maternal Separation, Open Field Test, Forced Swimming Test

Citation