Correction to Smith et al. (2013)
Carl D Smith1, Christopher C Piasecki1, Marcus Weera1
1Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program.
Behavioral Neuroscience
|July 28, 2015
Summary
Postpartum female rats exhibit higher serotonin turnover in the BST, contrary to previous findings. This correction impacts understanding of maternal behavior and anxiety regulation in the brain.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Neuroscience
- Endocrinology
Context:
- Maternal behavior is crucial for offspring survival and can be inhibited by emotional hyperreactivity.
- Norepinephrine release in the ventral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BSTv) can disrupt maternal responsiveness.
- Anxiety-related behaviors are linked to noradrenergic activity in the BSTv.
Purpose:
- To investigate the role of alpha-2 autoreceptor modulators in the BSTv on anxiety behaviors in postpartum and virgin female rats.
- To determine if increased anxiety underlies disrupted maternal behavior following yohimbine or idazoxan administration.
- To assess the effects of alpha-2 autoreceptor agonists and 5HT1A receptor agonists on anxiety.
Summary:
- Administration of yohimbine, but not idazoxan, increased anxiety-related behaviors in postpartum rats.
- Clonidine, an alpha-2 autoreceptor agonist, did not reduce anxiety in postpartum or virgin rats.
- Serotonin turnover was found to be higher in postpartum rats compared to virgins in BST subregions, correcting previous reports.
Impact:
- The findings suggest that impaired maternal behavior after BSTv yohimbine or idazoxan administration is not solely explained by increased anxiety.
- BSTv alpha-2 autoreceptor modulation appears to have limited influence on anxiety-related behaviors in postpartum or diestrous rats.
- Correction of serotonin turnover data provides a more accurate understanding of neurochemical changes associated with maternal behavior.
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