Cognition, Behavior, and Memory
Author: Monserrat Rodríguez González | Email: rodriguez.g.monserrat@gmail.com
Monserrat Rodríguez González1°, Paula Thomas1°,Bruno G. Berardino1°, Eduardo T. Cánepa1°
1° Laboratorio de Neuroepigenética y Adversidades Tempranas, Departamento Química Biológica e IQUIBICEN, FCEyN, UBA-CONICET
Prosocial actions on stressed-pregnant women could not only serve the well-being of the mother but also can help to the physical and mental development of the offspring.
To test this hypothesis, pregnant mice between days 2 and 12 of gestation were exposed to an unpredictable series of stressors and then housed (ESA group) or not housed (ES group) with a familial non-pregnant female until the end of pregnancy. A third group similar to the ESA but not exposed to stress (CTA group) was generated.
The offspring’s weight as well as the development parameters and neurological reflexes assessed did not show differences between the three groups for either males or females. Six-weeks-old offspring were behaviorally assessed. Recognition memory (NOR test) revealed a significant effect in females (p=0.0017) and a trend effect in males (p=0.0652) driven by a better performance of CTA and ESA groups compared to the ES group. Next, we analyzed social interaction through the 3-chamber test. ANOVA showed differences between groups in females (p=0.0543) and males (p=0.0208). Tukey test indicated a recovery of social interaction in ESA vs ES groups in offspring of both sexes. Surprisingly, the ES group exhibited a greater preference for social novelty compared to the ESA group in males (p=0.0045), but not in females (p=0.1105).
Our findings align with the hypothesis that prenatal support for stressed mothers can reduce stress-related risks and promote healthier developmental in their children.