PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

High levels of maternal care has life-long impact on vulnerability to stress

2013-12-12
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Laura Hill
lhill@acnp.org
American College of Neuropsychopharmacology
High levels of maternal care has life-long impact on vulnerability to stress Hollywood, FL (December 12, 2013) – A new study shows that high levels of maternal care during the early post-natal period in rodents can reduce the sensitivity of the offspring to stressful events during adulthood. Maternal care is shown to chemically modify and thereby re-program genes that control stress responses making them less likely to be activated. The findings have important implications for understanding early environment influences on stress-related disorders.

Early life experience, particularly quality of maternal care and sensory input from the mother, can influence vulnerability or resilience to mental and cognitive problems later in life, but little is known about how this occurs.

In a new study, led by Tallie Z. Baram from the University of California at Irvine, the effects maternal care on stress systems in the brain, which are thought to influence vulnerability to depression, were investigated in laboratory rats. The authors separated rat pups from their mothers for a short time every day for a week. This led to intense maternal care every day when pups and mother-rats were reunited. The activity of neurons that produce the stress chemical corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) were then examined in the brains of these offspring and compared with those from control offspring.

It was found that enhanced quality of maternal care experienced by the pups reduced the excitability of CRH-producing stress neurons in their brains. This effect was also associated with reduced activity of stress-associated genes in these neurons. The reduced activity of stress-related genes resulted from altered activity of a protein called NRSF, an important regulator of gene expression in the brain. This rewiring of brain stress circuits in rats pups that receive enhanced quality of maternal care was associated with activation of stress-related genes later in life in response to a stressful event.

This study provides a mechanism that may explain the beneficial effects of maternal care on resilience to stress-related disorders. According to Dr. Baram. "The findings show a direct causal effect of sensory input from the mother on the function of stress handling throughout life, and pinpoint the molecular changes involved. They also show plasticity of the wiring of the infant brain."

There are important future implications of the study for those who may be vulnerable to depression. "If we figure out exactly how cells regulate their stress molecules, we can modify and improve the function of the stress system in individuals who have not benefited from optimal early life environment, and perhaps prevent vulnerability to stress-related mental and cognitive problems", said Dr. Baram.

###

ACNP, founded in 1961, is a professional organization of more than 700 leading scientists, including four Nobel Laureates. The mission of ACNP is to further research and education in neuropsychopharmacology and related fields in the following ways: promoting the interaction of a broad range of scientific disciplines of brain and behavior in order to advance the understanding of prevention and treatment of disease of the nervous system including psychiatric, neurological, behavioral and addictive disorders; encouraging scientists to enter research careers in fields related to these disorders and their treatment; and ensuring the dissemination of relevant scientific advances.

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Peripheral immune system may regulate vulnerability to depression

2013-12-12
Peripheral immune system may regulate vulnerability to depression Hollywood, FL (December 12, 2013) – A new study shows that immune cells outside the brain may regulate propensity to develop depression. The data were presented today at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology ...

Worms and hot baths: Novel approaches to treating autism

2013-12-12
Worms and hot baths: Novel approaches to treating autism Hollywood, FL (December 12, 2013) – A new study shows that two unusual treatment approaches may have beneficial effects on the symptoms of autism in children and adults with the disorder. Using a hot bath ...

Drug cuts breast cancer cases by more than 50 percent in high risk women

2013-12-12
Drug cuts breast cancer cases by more than 50 percent in high risk women Taking the breast cancer drug anastrozole for five years reduced the chances of post-menopausal women at high risk of breast cancer developing the disease by 53% compared ...

What the past tells us about modern sea-level rise

2013-12-12
What the past tells us about modern sea-level rise Researchers from the University of Southampton and the Australian National University report that sea-level rise since the industrial revolution has been fast by natural standards and – at current rates – ...

First step of metastasis halted in mice with breast cancer

2013-12-12
First step of metastasis halted in mice with breast cancer Cell biologists at Johns Hopkins have identified a unique class of breast cancer cells that lead the process of invasion into surrounding tissues. Because invasion is the first step in the deadly process ...

Longer maternity leaves lower women's risk of postpartum depression

2013-12-12
Longer maternity leaves lower women's risk of postpartum depression Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provision of 12 weeks unpaid leave may not be adequate to support maternal health, UMD study shows COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- The more leave time from work that a woman takes after ...

Caution to pregnant women on red meat diabetes link

2013-12-12
Caution to pregnant women on red meat diabetes link Pregnant women and women planning to become pregnant can make use of the holiday season to adjust their diets and reduce the risk of gestational diabetes, according to researchers at the University ...

Global map to predict giant earthquakes

2013-12-12
Global map to predict giant earthquakes A team of international researchers, led by Monash University's Associate Professor Wouter Schellart, have developed a new global map of subduction zones, illustrating which ones are predicted to be capable of ...

NUS researchers develop novel bio-inspired method to grow high-quality graphene for high-end electronic devices

2013-12-12
NUS researchers develop novel bio-inspired method to grow high-quality graphene for high-end electronic devices Drawing inspiration from how beetles and tree frogs keep their feet attached to submerged leaves, the study breaks current technology bottleneck ...

A new definition for old age

2013-12-12
A new definition for old age Age is not just the number of years one has lived, argue IIASA population researchers. A new study from the group provides a set of tools for measuring age in all its dimensions. A groundbreaking ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

How one researcher equipped with a smartphone is creating detailed reports on the insides of stranded sea creatures

Americans borrowed $74 billion last year to cover healthcare costs

Iconic Australian bird reveals hidden farming talent

New method improves catalyst performance for hydrogenation reactions

Cracking the code on gypsum and silica scaling in water desalination

Creativity boosts NAPLAN literacy and numeracy scores

Beyond our solar system: scientists identify a new exoplanet candidate

Amphibians bounce-back from Earth’s greatest mass extinction

Better semen quality is linked to men living longer

Enhancing mosquito repellent effectiveness

Prenatal maternal stressors linked to higher blood pressure during first year after birth, study shows

Resistance exercise may be best type for tackling insomnia in older age

Global 130%+ rise in postmenopausal osteoarthritis and associated disability over past 3 decades

OU Health Sciences rises to 102 in national ranking

Bonobos and chimps offer clues to how our early ancestors had sex for social purposes

Lebanon multidimensional crisis diminishing trust in public education and worsening inequality, study shows

Cold atoms on a chip

Rice University study reveals how rising temperatures could lead to population crashes

WVU research reveals adults with disabilities misuse prescription drugs at high rates

Consumers value domestic vanilla -- when informed, research shows

Are higher doses of folic acid in pregnancy safe?

Survey confirms radiation and orthopedic health hazards in cardiac catheterization laboratories are ‘unacceptable’

Study finds consumer devices can be used to assess brain health

Teachers' negative emotions impact engagement of students, new study finds

Researchers see breakthrough with biofuel

White blood cells use brute force to dislodge bacteria

Foundation AI model predicts postoperative risks from clinical notes

Brain functional networks adapt in response to surgery and Botox for facial palsy

Multimodal AI tool supports ecological applications

New University of Minnesota research shows impact of anxiety and apathy on decision-making

[Press-News.org] High levels of maternal care has life-long impact on vulnerability to stress