Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 19, 2026

Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants
Published on: June 13, 2021
Developmental stress can uncouple relationships between physiology and behaviour
Vincent Careau1, William A Buttemer2, Katherine L Buchanan2
1Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria 3216, Australia vcareau@deakin.edu.au.
Abstract:
Phenotypic correlations (rP) have frequently been observed between physiological and behavioural traits, and the nature of these associations has been shown to be modulated by a range of environmental stressors. Studies to date have examined the effects of acute stressors on physiology-behaviour interrelations, but the potential for permanent changes induced by exposure to stress during development remains unexplored. We exposed female zebra finches to dietary restriction during the nestling stage and tested how this affected rP among a variety of physiological traits (haematocrit, stress-induced corticosterone level and basal metabolic rate (BMR)) and behavioural traits (activity and feeding rates in novel and familiar environments). Developmental stress completely uncoupled the relationship between activity in a novel environment and two physiological traits: haematocrit and BMR. This suggests that nutritionally based developmental stress has provoked changes in the energy budget that alleviate the trade-off between maintenance (BMR) and locomotor activities.
Related Concept Videos
Physiological Foundation of Stress
Role of the Sympathetic Nervous System
Adrenaline triggers the...
Psychological Responses to Stress
Introduction to Stress and Lifestyle
Stress and Mental Health
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
Psychoneuroimmunology: Cardiovascular Disease
A key area of focus in PNI is the relationship between stress and coronary...
Components of Stress
Interestingly, the hidden cube faces also experience these stresses, equal and...

