Elevated paternal glucocorticoid exposure modifies memory retention in female offspring

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Behavioral Genetics
• Epigenetics

Background:

• Paternal environmental factors can modify offspring behavioral traits across generations.
• Previous research linked paternal stress hormones to offspring anxiety and depression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of paternal stress on offspring sociability and cognition.
• To determine if paternal corticosterone exposure affects F1 offspring behavior and memory.

Main Methods:

• Adult male mice received corticosterone (CORT) treatment before mating.
• Offspring (F1 generation) underwent behavioral tests: social interaction, Y-maze, and Morris water maze.
• Spatial search strategies were analyzed to identify cognitive impairment causes.

Main Results:

• Paternal CORT treatment reduced offspring body weight and male offspring numbers.
• No significant differences in social behavior were observed.
• Male offspring exhibited hyperactivity, while female offspring showed impaired spatial memory retention.

Conclusions:

• Paternal corticosterone exposure negatively impacts offspring cognition, particularly spatial memory in females.
• Findings support the concept of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance of acquired traits.
• Paternal stress is a significant factor influencing offspring behavioral phenotypes.