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Juvenile stress induces behavioral change and affects perineuronal net formation in juvenile mice
Hiroshi Ueno1,2, Shunsuke Suemitsu3, Shinji Murakami3
1Department of Medical Technology, Kawasaki University of Medical Welfare, 288, Matsushima, Kurashiki, Okayama, 701-0193, Japan. dhe422007@s.okayama-u.ac.jp.
Insights
Juvenile stress in mice induced neurodevelopmental disorder-like behaviors and increased brain vulnerability. This suggests early-life stress may impact brain development and contribute to neuropsychiatric disorders.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Neuropsychiatric disorders often emerge in early life.
- Parvalbumin-positive interneuron (PV neuron) dysfunction may underlie these conditions.
- Previous research links juvenile stress to neuropsychiatric disorder development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the behavioral and central nervous system effects of juvenile stress.
- To examine the impact of juvenile stress on PV neurons and WFA-positive perineuronal nets (PNNs).
Main Methods:
- Chronic stress was applied to mice during their juvenile phase.
- Behavioral assessments were conducted to identify abnormalities.
- Immunohistochemistry was used to analyze PV neurons and WFA-positive PNNs in the brain.
Main Results:
- Juvenile stress induced neurodevelopmental disorder-like behaviors in mice.
- Stressed mice exhibited increased activity and reduced anxiety, not depressive behaviors.
- A decrease in WFA-positive PNN fluorescence intensity was observed, indicating heightened brain vulnerability.
Conclusions:
- Juvenile stress leads to behavioral alterations resembling neuropsychiatric disorders.
- Stress during early development increases vulnerability in the mouse brain.
- WFA-positive PNN changes may serve as a biomarker for stress-induced vulnerability.
Background:
Many neuropsychiatric disorders develop in early life. Although the mechanisms involved have not been elucidated, it is possible that functional abnormalities of parvalbumin-positive interneurons (PV neurons) are present. Several previous studies have shown that juvenile stress is implicated in the development of neuropsychiatric disorders. We aimed to clarify the effects of juvenile stress on behavior and on the central nervous system. We investigated behavioral abnormalities of chronically-stressed mice during juvenilehood and the effect of juvenile stress on PV neurons and WFA-positive perineuronal nets (PNNs), which are associated with vulnerability and plasticity in the mouse brain.
Results:
Due to juvenile stress, mice showed neurodevelopmental disorder-like behavior. Juvenile stressed mice did not show depressive-like behaviors, but on the contrary, they showed increased activity and decreased anxiety-like behavior. In the central nervous system of juvenile stressed mice, the fluorescence intensity of WFA-positive PNNs decreased, which may signify increased vulnerability.
Conclusion:
This study suggested that juvenile stressed mice showed behavioral abnormalities, resembling those seen in neuropsychiatric disorders, and increased brain vulnerability.
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