Sex-dependent effects of postweaning exposure to an enriched environment on visceral pain and anxiety- and depression-like behaviors induced by neonatal maternal separation.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Neonatal maternal separation (NMS) can lead to visceral pain and anxiety- and depression-like behaviors. An enriched environment (EE) can alleviate NMS-induced pain and mental disorders, but previous studies have mostly been performed in male animals. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate whether the effects of EE were sex dependent at different stages of development.

Methods

Female and Male C57BL/6 J mice that had been subjected to NMS alone and those subjected to both NMS and exposed to EE were used in this study. The visceral pain threshold test (PTT), open field test (OFT), sucrose preference test (SPT), and forced swimming test (FST) were conducted to evaluate visceral pain, anxiety-like behavior, and depression-like behavior in mice, respective

SUBMITTER: Ji NN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9561520 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature