Enduring good memories of infant trauma: rescue of adult neurobehavioral deficits via amygdala serotonin and corticosterone interaction.

ABSTRACT: Children form a strong attachment to their caregiver--even when that caretaker is abusive. Paradoxically, despite the trauma experienced within this relationship, the child develops a preference for trauma-linked cues--a phenomenon known as trauma bonding. Although infant trauma compromises neurobehavioral development, the mechanisms underlying the interaction between infant trauma bonding (i.e., learned preference for trauma cues) and the long-term effects of trauma (i.e., depressive-like behavior, amygdala dysfunction) are unknown. We modeled infant trauma bonding by using odor-shock conditioning in rat pups, which engages the attachment system and produces a life-long preference for the odor that was paired with shock. In adulthood, this trauma-linked odor rescues depressive-like behavi

SUBMITTER: Rincon-Cortes M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4311810 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature