1
|
Huang Y, Qing R, Yang Y, Li M, Gao J. Sex and Age Differences in Ontogeny of Alloparenting: A Relation to Forebrain DRD1, DRD2, and HTR2A mRNA Expression? Dev Psychobiol 2024; 66:e22524. [PMID: 38973227 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 06/08/2024] [Accepted: 06/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Alloparenting refers to the practice of caring for the young by individuals other than their biological parents. The relationship between the dynamic changes in psychological functions underlying alloparenting and the development of specific neuroreceptors remains unclear. Using a classic 10-day pup sensitization procedure, together with a pup preference and pup retrieval test on the EPM (elevated plus maze), we showed that both male and female adolescent rats (24 days old) had significantly shorter latency than adult rats (65 days old) to be alloparental, and their motivation levels for pups and objects were also significantly higher. In contrast, adult rats retrieved more pups than adolescent rats even though they appeared to be more anxious on the EPM. Analysis of mRNA expression using real-time-PCR revealed a higher dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) receptor expression in adult hippocampus, amygdala, and ventral striatum, along with higher dopamine D1 receptor (DRD1) receptor expression in ventral striatum compared to adolescent rats. Adult rats also showed significantly higher levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 2A (HTR2A) receptor expression in the medial prefrontal cortex, amygdala, ventral striatum, and hypothalamus. These results suggest that the faster onset of alloparenting in adolescent rats compared to adult rats, along with the psychological functions involved, may be mediated by varying levels of dopamine DRD1, DRD2, and HTR2A in different forebrain regions.
Collapse
MESH Headings
- Animals
- Receptors, Dopamine D2/metabolism
- Receptors, Dopamine D2/genetics
- Male
- Rats
- Female
- Receptors, Dopamine D1/metabolism
- Receptors, Dopamine D1/genetics
- RNA, Messenger/metabolism
- RNA, Messenger/genetics
- Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A/metabolism
- Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A/genetics
- Prosencephalon/metabolism
- Empathy/physiology
- Age Factors
- Sex Characteristics
- Rats, Sprague-Dawley
- Behavior, Animal/physiology
- Amygdala/metabolism
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yujie Huang
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
| | - Ruoting Qing
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
| | - Yu Yang
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
| | - Ming Li
- Department of Psychology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jun Gao
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Neurobiology of Maternal Behavior in Nonhuman Mammals: Acceptance, Recognition, Motivation, and Rejection. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12243589. [PMID: 36552508 PMCID: PMC9774276 DOI: 10.3390/ani12243589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Among the different species of mammals, the expression of maternal behavior varies considerably, although the end points of nurturance and protection are the same. Females may display passive or active responses of acceptance, recognition, rejection/fear, or motivation to care for the offspring. Each type of response may indicate different levels of neural activation. Different natural stimuli can trigger the expression of maternal and paternal behavior in both pregnant or virgin females and males, such as hormone priming during pregnancy, vagino-cervical stimulation during parturition, mating, exposure to pups, previous experience, or environmental enrichment. Herein, we discuss how the olfactory pathways and the interconnections of the medial preoptic area (mPOA) with structures such as nucleus accumbens, ventral tegmental area, amygdala, and bed nucleus of stria terminalis mediate maternal behavior. We also discuss how the triggering stimuli activate oxytocin, vasopressin, dopamine, galanin, and opioids in neurocircuitries that mediate acceptance, recognition, maternal motivation, and rejection/fear.
Collapse
|
3
|
Seward CH, Saul MC, Troy JM, Dibaeinia P, Zhang H, Sinha S, Stubbs LJ. An epigenomic shift in amygdala marks the transition to maternal behaviors in alloparenting virgin female mice. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0263632. [PMID: 35192674 PMCID: PMC8863255 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Adults of many species will care for young offspring that are not their own, a phenomenon called alloparenting. However, in many cases, nonparental adults must be sensitized by repeated or extended exposures to newborns before they will robustly display parental-like behaviors. To capture neurogenomic events underlying the transition to active parental caring behaviors, we analyzed brain gene expression and chromatin profiles of virgin female mice co-housed with pregnant dams during pregnancy and after birth. After an initial display of antagonistic behaviors and a surge of defense-related gene expression, we observed a dramatic shift in the chromatin landscape specifically in amygdala of the pup-exposed virgin females compared to females co-housed with mother before birth, accompanied by a dampening of anxiety-related gene expression. This epigenetic shift coincided with hypothalamic expression of the oxytocin gene and the emergence of behaviors and gene expression patterns classically associated with maternal care. The results outline a neurogenomic program associated with dramatic behavioral changes and suggest molecular networks relevant to human postpartum mental health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher H. Seward
- Pacific Northwest Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States of America
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, Urbana, IL, United States of America
| | - Michael C. Saul
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, Urbana, IL, United States of America
| | - Joseph M. Troy
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, Urbana, IL, United States of America
| | - Payam Dibaeinia
- Department of Computer Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States of America
| | - Huimin Zhang
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, Urbana, IL, United States of America
| | - Saurabh Sinha
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, Urbana, IL, United States of America
- Department of Computer Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States of America
| | - Lisa J. Stubbs
- Pacific Northwest Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States of America
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, Urbana, IL, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Trujillo V, Valentim-Lima E, Mencalha R, Carbalan QSR, Dos-Santos RC, Felintro V, Girardi CEN, Rorato R, Lustrino D, Reis LC, Mecawi AS. Neonatal Serotonin Depletion Induces Hyperactivity and Anxiolytic-like Sex-Dependent Effects in Adult Rats. Mol Neurobiol 2020; 58:1036-1051. [PMID: 33083963 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-02181-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The serotoninergic system plays an important role in the ontogeny of the mammalian central nervous system, and changes in serotonin production during development may lead to permanent changes in brain cytoarchitecture and function. The present study investigated the programming effects of neonatal serotonin depletion on behavior and molecular components of the serotoninergic system in adult male and female rats. Subcutaneous para-chlorophenylalanine (pCPA) administration (100 mg kg-1) was performed daily on postnatal days 8-16 to deplete brain serotonin content. During adulthood, elevated plus-maze, open field, social interaction, forced swimming, and food, saline, and sucrose intake tests were performed. Relative expression of serotonin neurotransmission components in several brain areas was determined by qPCR. Additionally, serotonin immunofluorescence and neuropeptide mRNA expression were assessed in dorsal raphe (DRN) and paraventricular (PVN) nuclei, respectively. Rat performance in behavioral tests demonstrated a general increase in locomotor activity and active escape behavior as well as decreased anxiety-like behavior after neonatal brain serotonin depletion. The behavioral programming effects due to neonatal serotonin depletion were more pronounced in females than males. At the gene expression level, the mRNA of Tph1 and Tph2 were lower in DRN while Htr2c was higher in the amygdala of pCPA-treated males, while Htr1a, Htr2c, Oxt, Avp, Crh, and Trh were not different in any treatments or sex in PVN. The results indicate that neonatal serotonin depletion has long-term consequences on locomotion and anxiety-like behavior associated with long-lasting molecular changes in the brain serotoninergic system in adult rats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Trujillo
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Biophysics, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Botucatu, 862, Edifício de Ciências Biomédicas, 7° andar, Vila Clementino, São Paulo, CEP 04023-062, Brasil
- Departament of Physiology, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Evandro Valentim-Lima
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Biophysics, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Botucatu, 862, Edifício de Ciências Biomédicas, 7° andar, Vila Clementino, São Paulo, CEP 04023-062, Brasil
| | - Rodrigo Mencalha
- Department of Natural Sciences, Universidade Federal do Acre, Rio Branco, Brazil
| | - Quézia S R Carbalan
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Brazil
| | - Raoni C Dos-Santos
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Brazil
| | - Viviane Felintro
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Brazil
| | - Carlos E N Girardi
- Department of Psychobiology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Rorato
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Biophysics, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Botucatu, 862, Edifício de Ciências Biomédicas, 7° andar, Vila Clementino, São Paulo, CEP 04023-062, Brasil
| | - Danilo Lustrino
- Department of Physiology, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Brazil
| | - Luis C Reis
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Brazil
| | - André S Mecawi
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Biophysics, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Botucatu, 862, Edifício de Ciências Biomédicas, 7° andar, Vila Clementino, São Paulo, CEP 04023-062, Brasil.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Qiu W, Hodges TE, Clark EL, Blankers SA, Galea LAM. Perinatal depression: Heterogeneity of disease and in animal models. Front Neuroendocrinol 2020; 59:100854. [PMID: 32750403 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2020.100854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Revised: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Perinatal depression (PND) can have either an antepartum or postpartum onset. Although the greatest risk factor for PND is previous depression history,de novoPND occurs with the majority of cases occurring in the postpartum. Timing of depression can impact etiology, prognosis, and response to treatment. Thus, it is crucial to study the impact of the heterogeneity of PND for better health outcomes. In this review, we outline the differences between antepartum and postpartum depression onset of PND. We discuss maternal physiological changes that differ between pregnancy and postpartum and how these may differentially impact depression susceptibility. We highlight changes in the maternal steroid and peptide hormone levels, immune signalling, serotonergic tone, metabolic factors, brain morphology, and the gut microbiome. Finally, we argue that studying the heterogeneity of PND in clinical and preclinical models can lead to improved knowledge of disease etiopathology and treatment outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wansu Qiu
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of British Columbia, Canada; Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Travis E Hodges
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Canada; Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Emily L Clark
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of British Columbia, Canada; Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Samantha A Blankers
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of British Columbia, Canada; Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Liisa A M Galea
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of British Columbia, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Canada; Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Rosenbaum S, Gettler LT. With a little help from her friends (and family) part I: the ecology and evolution of non-maternal care in mammals. Physiol Behav 2019; 193:1-11. [PMID: 29933836 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.12.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2017] [Revised: 11/27/2017] [Accepted: 12/20/2017] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
In the class Mammalia, most young are cared for exclusively by their mothers. In species where mothers receive help, however, non-maternal caregivers may play a crucial role in development and life history trajectories. In turn, recipients of such care may have important impacts on caregivers of all types. In Part I of this overview, we briefly review the evolutionary barriers to widespread non-maternal care in mammals, and explain why the exceptions are of particular theoretical importance. We also summarize the current understanding of the selective forces leading to non-maternal care, and the taxa and types of caretakers amongst which it occurs. Finally, we argue for a fresh look at the categorization schemes that have traditionally been used to separate various types of mammalian non-maternal caregivers. This two-part introduction is aimed at scientists from multiple disciplines who study diverse organismal systems. It draws from the social and biological sciences literatures to provide an overview of this special issue of Physiology and Behavior's suite of methodological offerings and theoretical underpinnings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stacy Rosenbaum
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States; Davee Center for Epidemiology and Endocrinology, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, United States.
| | - Lee T Gettler
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States; The Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Glasper ER, Kenkel WM, Bick J, Rilling JK. More than just mothers: The neurobiological and neuroendocrine underpinnings of allomaternal caregiving. Front Neuroendocrinol 2019; 53:100741. [PMID: 30822428 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2019.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Revised: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
In a minority of mammalian species, mothers depend on others to help raise their offspring. New research is investigating the neuroendocrine mechanisms supporting this allomaternal behavior. Several hormones have been implicated in allomaternal caregiving; however, the role of specific hormones is variable across species, perhaps because allomothering independently evolved multiple times. Brain regions involved in maternal behavior in non-human animals, such as the medial preoptic area, are also critically involved in allomaternal behavior. Allomaternal experience modulates hormonal systems, neural plasticity, and behavioral reactivity. In humans, fatherhood-induced decreases in testosterone and increases in oxytocin may support sensitive caregiving. Fathers and mothers activate similar neural systems when exposed to child stimuli, and this can be considered a global "parental caregiving" network. Finally, early work on caregiving by non-kin (e.g., foster parents) suggests reliance on similar mechanisms as biologically-related parents. This article is part of the 'Parental Brain and Behavior' Special Issue.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E R Glasper
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, 4094 Campus Drive, College Park, MD 20742, USA; Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
| | - W M Kenkel
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, 150 S. Woodlawn Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - J Bick
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, 4849 Calhoun Road, Houston, TX 77204, USA; Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation, and Statistics, University of Houston, 4849 Calhoun Rd, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - J K Rilling
- Department of Anthropology, Emory University, 207 Anthropology Building, 1557 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, 101 Woodruff Circle, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Emory University, PO Box 3966, Atlanta, GA 30302, USA; Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Emory University, 201 Dowman Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Pawluski JL, Li M, Lonstein JS. Serotonin and motherhood: From molecules to mood. Front Neuroendocrinol 2019; 53:100742. [PMID: 30878665 PMCID: PMC6541513 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2019.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 02/27/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Emerging research points to a valuable role of the monoamine neurotransmitter, serotonin, in the display of maternal behaviors and reproduction-associated plasticity in the maternal brain. Serotonin is also implicated in the pathophysiology of numerous affective disorders and likely plays an important role in the pathophysiology of maternal mental illness. Therefore, the main goals of this review are to detail: (1) how the serotonin system of the female brain changes across pregnancy and postpartum; (2) the role of the central serotonergic system in maternal caregiving and maternal aggression; and (3) how the serotonin system and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor medications (SSRIs) are involved in the treatment of maternal mental illness. Although there is much work to be done, studying the central serotonin system's multifaceted role in the maternal brain is vital to our understanding of the processes governing matrescence and the maintenance of motherhood.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jodi L Pawluski
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail), UMR_S 1085, F-35000 Rennes, France.
| | - Ming Li
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588-0308, USA.
| | - Joseph S Lonstein
- Neuroscience Program & Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Lonstein JS. The dynamic serotonin system of the maternal brain. Arch Womens Ment Health 2019; 22:237-243. [PMID: 30032323 PMCID: PMC7001094 DOI: 10.1007/s00737-018-0887-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Many pregnant and postpartum women worldwide suffer from high anxiety and/or depression, which can have detrimental effects on maternal and infant well-being. The first-line pharmacotherapies for prepartum and postpartum affective disorders continue to be the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), despite the lack of large well-controlled studies demonstrating their efficacy in reproducing women and the potential for fetal/neonatal exposure to the drugs. Prepartum or postpartum use of SSRIs or other drugs that modulate the brain's serotonin system is also troubling because very little is known about the typical, let alone the atypical, changes that occur in the female central serotonin system across reproduction. We do know from a handful of studies of women and female laboratory rodents that numerous aspects of the central serotonin system are naturally dynamic across reproduction and are also affected by pregnancy stress (a major predisposing factor for maternal psychopathology). Thus, it should not be assumed that the maternal central serotonin system being targeted by SSRIs is identical to non-parous females or males. More information about the normative and stress-derailed changes in the maternal central serotonin system is essential for understanding how serotonin is involved in the etiology of, and the best use of SSRIs for potentially treating, affective disorders in the pregnant and postpartum populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph S. Lonstein
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, 108 Giltner Hall, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Beyond sex differences: short and long-term implications of motherhood on women’s health. CURRENT OPINION IN PHYSIOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cophys.2018.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
|
11
|
Alsina-Llanes M, Olazábal DE. Do sires and juvenile male mice (C57BL/6) contribute to the rearing of the offspring? Acta Ethol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10211-018-0299-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
|
12
|
Holschbach MA, Vitale EM, Lonstein JS. Serotonin-specific lesions of the dorsal raphe disrupt maternal aggression and caregiving in postpartum rats. Behav Brain Res 2018; 348:53-64. [PMID: 29653128 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Revised: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The behavioral modifications associated with early motherhood, which include high aggression, caring for the young, and low anxiety, are all affected by acute pharmacological manipulation of serotonin signaling. However, the effects on all these behaviors of permanently disrupting serotonin signaling from one of its primary sources, the dorsal raphe nucleus (DR), have not been examined in detail. To address this, serotonin-specific lesions centered on the dorsomedial DR (DRdm; DR subregion strongly implicated in emotional behaviors) were induced at mid-pregnancy (day 15) or early postpartum (day 2) in rats using a saporin-conjugated neurotoxin targeting the serotonin transporter (Anti-SERT-SAP). Prepartum or postpartum Anti-SERT-SAP reduced DRdm serotonin immunoreactivity by ∼40-65%, and postpartum Anti-SERT-SAP also reduced it in the ventromedial and lateral wings of the DR, as well as in the median raphe. Serotonin-immunoreactive fibers were significantly reduced in the anterior hypothalamus, but not medial preoptic area, of lesioned dams. Pre- or postpartum lesions both greatly reduced maternal aggression, but while prepartum lesions did not affect later undisturbed maternal caregiving, the larger postpartum lesions prevented the postpartum decline in kyphotic nursing and reduced pup licking. Serotonin lesions did not affect pup retrieval, but the prepartum lesions temporarily increased maternal hovering over and licking the pups observed immediately after the disruptive retrieval tests. Dams' anxiety-like behaviors and litter weight gains were unaffected by the lesions. These findings suggest that DRdm serotonin projecting to the AH is particularly critical for maternal aggression, but that more widespread disruption of midbrain raphe serotonin is necessary to greatly impair maternal caregiving. Postpartum anxiety may rely more on other neurochemical systems or different midbrain serotonergic cell populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M Allie Holschbach
- Neuroscience Program, 108 Giltner Hall, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Erika M Vitale
- Department of Psychology, 108 Giltner Hall, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Joseph S Lonstein
- Neuroscience Program, 108 Giltner Hall, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA; Department of Psychology, 108 Giltner Hall, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Gemmel M, Bögi E, Ragan C, Hazlett M, Dubovicky M, van den Hove DL, Oberlander TF, Charlier TD, Pawluski JL. Perinatal selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor medication (SSRI) effects on social behaviors, neurodevelopment and the epigenome. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 85:102-116. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.04.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2017] [Revised: 04/10/2017] [Accepted: 04/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
|
14
|
Kenkel WM, Perkeybile AM, Carter CS. The neurobiological causes and effects of alloparenting. Dev Neurobiol 2017; 77:214-232. [PMID: 27804277 PMCID: PMC5768312 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Revised: 08/26/2016] [Accepted: 10/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Alloparenting, defined as care provided by individuals other than parents, is a universal behavior among humans that has shaped our evolutionary history and remains important in contemporary society. Dysfunctions in alloparenting can have serious and sometimes fatal consequences for vulnerable infants and children. In spite of the importance of alloparenting, they still have much to learn regarding the underlying neurobiological systems governing its expression. Here, they review how a lack of alloparental behavior among traditional laboratory species has led to a blind spot in our understanding of this critical facet of human social behavior and the relevant neurobiology. Based on what is known, they draw from model systems ranging from voles to meerkats to primates to describe a conserved set of neuroendocrine mechanisms supporting the expression of alloparental care. In this review we describe the neurobiological and behavioral prerequisites, ontogeny, and consequences of alloparental care. Lastly, they identified several outstanding topics in the area of alloparental care that deserve further research efforts to better advance human health and wellbeing. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 77: 214-232, 2017.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - C Sue Carter
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Pawluski JL, Lonstein JS, Fleming AS. The Neurobiology of Postpartum Anxiety and Depression. Trends Neurosci 2017; 40:106-120. [PMID: 28129895 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2016.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 169] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2016] [Revised: 11/28/2016] [Accepted: 11/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Ten to twenty percent of postpartum women experience anxiety or depressive disorders, which can have detrimental effects on the mother, child, and family. Little is known about the neural correlates of these affective disorders when they occur in mothers, but they do have unique neural profiles during the postpartum period compared with when they occur at other times in a woman's life. Given that the neural systems affected by postpartum anxiety and depression overlap and interact with the systems involved in maternal caregiving behaviors, mother-infant interactions are highly susceptible to disruption. Thus, there is an intricate interplay among maternal mental health, the mother-infant relationship, and the neurobiological mechanisms mediating them that needs to be the focus of future study.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jodi L Pawluski
- Inserm U1085-IRSET, Université de Rennes 1, Campus Villejean, 35000 Rennes, France.
| | - Joseph S Lonstein
- Neuroscience Program & Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
| | - Alison S Fleming
- Psychology and Fraser Mustard Institute for Human Development, University of Toronto at Mississauga (UTM), Mississauga, ONT L5L1C6, Canada
| |
Collapse
|