Pre-reproductive maternal enrichment influences offspring developmental trajectories: motor behavior and neurotrophin expression.

ABSTRACT: Environmental enrichment is usually applied immediately after weaning or in adulthood, with strong effects on CNS anatomy and behavior. To examine the hypothesis that a pre-reproductive environmental enrichment of females could affect the motor development of their offspring, female rats were reared in an enriched environment from weaning to sexual maturity, while other female rats used as controls were reared under standard conditions. Following mating with standard-reared males, all females were housed individually. To evaluate the eventual transgenerational influence of positive pre-reproductive maternal experiences, postural and motor development of male pups was analyzed from birth to weaning. Moreover, expression of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Nerve Growth Factor in differe

SUBMITTER: Caporali P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4038762 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature