Neonatal stress and long-term modulation of GABA receptors in rat brain

Neonatal handling, known to have long-term effects on behaviour and neuroendocrine responses to acute stress, has been found to produce a long-term change in gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor binding (Bmax) in whole-brain membranes of spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. A significant 10% increase in the binding of [3H] GABA to receptors was evident more than 100 days after handling. There were no differential effects of handling between these two strains, but there was a whole-brain deficit in GABA receptor binding in SHR as compared to WKY animals. Adult corticosterone levels did not correlate with GABA receptor binding.