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Published on: November 21, 2012
Maternal glucocorticoid hormone influences nerve growth factor expression in the developing rat brain
S Scaccianoce1, A Catalani, K Lombardo
1Department of Human Physiology and Pharmacology, University La Sapienza P.le Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome Italy.
Insights
Maternal stress in rats, indicated by increased corticosterone, alters nerve growth factor (NGF) levels in offspring. These changes in the developing brain may explain long-lasting behavioral and biochemical modifications observed in pups.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Maternal stress during development can lead to long-lasting effects on offspring.
- Plasma corticosterone levels are a key indicator of stress in mammals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of maternal hypercorticosteronemia on nerve growth factor (NGF) concentrations in specific brain regions of rat pups.
- To determine if these NGF changes correlate with known long-lasting modifications in offspring.
Main Methods:
- Rat pups were nursed by mothers administered corticosterone-enriched water from delivery.
- NGF concentrations were measured in the basal forebrain, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus of male and female offspring at 11 days of age.
Main Results:
- A significant increase in NGF was observed in the basal forebrain of both male and female rat pups.
- NGF levels in the prefrontal cortex remained unchanged.
- An increase in hippocampal NGF was detected specifically in male offspring.
Conclusions:
- Moderate maternal hypercorticosteronemia modulates NGF levels in the developing rat brain.
- These NGF alterations in specific brain regions likely contribute to the observed long-lasting biochemical and behavioral changes in offspring exposed to maternal stress during lactation.
Abstract:
Rat pups nursed from birth by mothers with increased plasma corticosterone show long-lasting biochemical and behavioral modifications. Here we have investigated nerve growth factor (NGF) concentrations in the basal forebrain, prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of both male and female offspring at 11 days of age. Maternal hypercorticosteronemia was achieved by giving corticosterone-enriched water (200 microg/ml) from delivery. There was a significant increase of NGF in the basal forebrain of both sexes and no changes in the prefrontal cortex. In the hippocampus, an increase in NGF was found in males. These results indicate that a moderate increase of corticosterone in the lactating mother modulates NGF in the developing rat. We propose that these effects contribute directly to the long-lasting behavioral and biochemical modifications in pups nursed by hypercorticosteronemic mothers.
