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Published on: October 11, 2018
Increased ultrasonic vocalizations and risk-taking in rat pups of sleep-deprived dams
Kamalesh K Gulia1, Niraj Patel1, Velayudhan Mohan Kumar1
1Sleep Disorders Research Laboratory, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum, Kerala 695012, India.
Insights
Total sleep deprivation in pregnant rats led to increased ultrasonic vocalizations and anxiety-related behaviors in male pups, suggesting early distress signals for altered emotional development.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Animal Behavior
Background:
- Rodent ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) are comparable to human infant cries.
- Previous studies linked REM sleep deprivation in dams to reduced pup USVs.
- The impact of total maternal sleep deprivation on neonatal USVs and emotional development remained uninvestigated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of total maternal sleep deprivation during pregnancy on ultrasonic vocalizations and anxiety-related behaviors in male rat pups.
- To explore the potential link between early distress vocalizations and later emotional development.
Main Methods:
- Pregnant rats underwent 5 hours of total sleep deprivation during the third trimester.
- Male pups were tested for ultrasonic vocalizations in an isolation paradigm on early postnatal days.
- Anxiety-related behaviors were assessed in weanlings (postnatal days 25-28) using the elevated plus maze (EPM).
Main Results:
- Pups born to sleep-deprived dams exhibited higher ultrasonic vocalizations during early postnatal development.
- Weanlings of sleep-deprived dams showed increased entries into open arms and higher mobility in the elevated plus maze, indicating reduced anxiety.
- Enhanced distress calls in early life correlated with reduced risk assessment behaviors in later life.
Conclusions:
- Total maternal sleep deprivation during pregnancy alters ultrasonic vocalizations and anxiety-related behaviors in male offspring.
- Early-life ultrasonic vocalizations may serve as predictive indicators of altered emotional development and anxiety.
- These findings highlight the critical role of maternal sleep in prenatal development and long-term emotional well-being.
Abstract:
Ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) in rodent pups are analogous to cries in human babies. There is reduction in USVs in pups after experimental deprivation of rapid eye movement sleep of dams during pregnancy. However, the effects of total sleep deprivation on the USVs of newborns and their emotional development are not documented. Male pups born to the rats that underwent total sleep deprivation for 5h during the third trimester made higher vocalizations, when tested on early postnatal days (pnds) in an isolation-paradigm. Their anxiety-related behaviors during pnds 25-28, were tested using elevated plus maze (EPM). In comparison to the control pups, weanlings of sleep-deprived dams made increased entries into the open arms and higher mobility in the EPM. Enhanced distress calls during early pnds and reduction in risk assessment in weanlings indicate a link between the two behaviors. The USVs during ontogeny may provide early signals about altered emotional development.
