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Does neonatal manipulation on continuous or alternate days change maternal behavior?
Débora da Silva Bandeira Rêgo1, Jaime Moreira Pires1, Maira Licia Foresti2
1Department of Physiology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil.
Abstract:
Maternal separation and neonatal manipulation of pups produce changes in maternal behavior after the dam-pup reunion. Here, we examined whether continuous versus alternating days of neonatal manipulation during the first 8 postnatal days produces differential changes in maternal and non-maternal behaviors in rats. We found that both maternal separation protocols increased anogenital licking after dam-pup reunion, reflecting increased maternal care of pups.

