Microglia depletion facilitates the display of maternal behavior and alters activation of the maternal brain network in nulliparous female rats.

ABSTRACT: The peripartum period is accompanied by peripheral immune alterations to promote a successful pregnancy. We and others have also demonstrated significant neuroimmune changes that emerge during late pregnancy and persist postpartum, most prominently decreased microglia numbers within limbic brain regions. Here we hypothesized that microglial downregulation is important for the onset and display of maternal behavior. To test this, we recapitulated the peripartum neuroimmune profile by depleting microglia in non-mother (i.e., nulliparous) female rats who are typically not maternal but can be induced to behave maternally towards foster pups after repeated exposure, a process called maternal sensitization. BLZ945, a selective colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) inhibitor, was administe

SUBMITTER: Dye CN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10584962 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature