Early life adversity promotes resilience to opioid addiction-related phenotypes in male rats and sex-specific transcriptional changes.

ABSTRACT: Experiencing some early life adversity can have an "inoculating" effect that promotes resilience in adulthood. However, the mechanisms underlying stress inoculation are unknown, and animal models are lacking. Here we used the limited bedding and nesting (LBN) model of adversity to evaluate stress inoculation of addiction-related phenotypes. In LBN, pups from postnatal days 2 to 9 and their dams were exposed to a low-resource environment. In adulthood, they were tested for addiction-like phenotypes and compared to rats raised in standard housing conditions. High levels of impulsivity are associated with substance abuse, but in males, LBN reduced impulsive choice compared to controls. LBN males also self-administered less morphine and had a lower breakpoint on a progressive ratio reinforceme

SUBMITTER: Ordones Sanchez E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7923376 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature