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Variable foraging demand rearing: sustained elevations in cisternal cerebrospinal fluid corticotropin-releasing

J D Coplan1, E L Smith, M Altemus

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, SUNY Health Science Center, Brooklyn, New York 11203, USA.

Biological Psychiatry
|August 22, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Early life stress in primates due to unpredictable maternal foraging leads to lasting elevations in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) into adulthood. These CRF changes appear to be a stable trait.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroendocrinology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Primate Research

Background:

  • Previous studies showed elevated cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in juvenile primates exposed to maternal unpredictable foraging.
  • This elevation was compared to normally reared controls.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if the elevated CSF CRF concentrations persist into young adulthood.
  • To determine the long-term effects of early life stress on the stress response system.

Main Methods:

  • Cisternal CSF samples were collected from unpredictably reared young adult primates previously studied as juveniles.
  • Age-matched, ad libitum normally reared primates served as controls.
  • CSF samples were analyzed for CRF concentrations.

Main Results:

  • CSF CRF concentrations were significantly higher in unpredictably reared young adults compared to controls.
  • A positive correlation was found between juvenile and young adult CSF CRF levels in the unpredictably reared group.

Conclusions:

  • Disruptions in maternal-infant attachment due to unpredictable foraging have a lasting impact on primate CRF function.
  • The observed CRF elevations suggest a trait-like, enduring alteration in the stress response system.
Abstract

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