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Behavior ontogeny in the elevated plus-maze: prenatal stress effects.

Celio Estanislau1, Silvio Morato

  • 1Faculdade de Filosofia Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, 14040-901 Ribeirão Preto-SP, Brazil.

International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the International Society for Developmental Neuroscience
|May 16, 2006
PubMed
Summary

Prenatal stress increases anxiety in adult offspring, but effects vary with age. Anxiogenic effects in the elevated plus-maze appear in adulthood, with a transient anxiolytic-like effect in adolescence.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Behavioral Pharmacology

Background:

  • Prenatal stress is a key factor in psychopathology development.
  • Stress during pregnancy can lead to heightened anxiety in offspring.
  • The developmental trajectory of prenatal stress effects on anxiety is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the developmental impact of prenatal stress on anxiety-like behaviors.
  • To determine how prenatal stress interacts with anxiety across different life stages in rats.
  • To analyze behavioral changes in prenatally stressed rats using the elevated plus-maze.

Main Methods:

  • Pregnant rats were exposed to uncontrollable foot shocks or left undisturbed.
  • Offspring (male and female) were tested in the elevated plus-maze at 30, 45, and 60 days of age.

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  • Behavioral measures included arm entries, time spent in arms, and naturalistic behaviors.

    • Main Results:

    • Prenatally stressed rats showed reduced anxiety-like behavior (decreased open arm entries/time) only at 60 days old.
    • A transient anxiolytic-like effect (increased risk-taking) was observed in 45-day-old males.
    • Prenatally stressed rats were heavier at younger ages, but this difference vanished in adulthood.

    Conclusions:

    • Anxiogenic effects of prenatal stress manifest in early adulthood, not before.
    • Prenatal stress can induce age-dependent behavioral changes, including transient anxiolytic-like effects.
    • These findings highlight the complex, time-sensitive impact of prenatal stress on offspring anxiety.