Behavior of In Utero Stressed Rats in the Elevated Plus Maze Test during Different Periods of Postnatal Ontogeny

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Behavioral Biology

Background:

• Prenatal stress is a known factor influencing offspring neurodevelopment and behavior.
• Understanding sex- and age-specific effects of prenatal stress is crucial for developmental research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the long-term behavioral consequences of prenatal stress in offspring.
• To examine sex- and age-dependent alterations in anxiety and exploratory behaviors.

Main Methods:

• Exposure of pregnant dams to cold-water swimming stress during gestation (days 10-16).
• Behavioral assessment of offspring using the elevated plus maze at three postnatal ages: suckling (day 21), infantile (day 30), and juvenile (day 60).

Main Results:

• Female offspring exhibited suppressed exploration and increased anxiety at the suckling stage, with recovery by infantile and juvenile stages.
• Male offspring showed reduced anxiety by the juvenile stage.
• Prenatal stress effects were more pronounced in females during early postnatal development.

Conclusions:

• Prenatal stress exerts sex- and age-specific modulatory effects on offspring behavior.
• Behavioral outcomes are dependent on the interplay between prenatal environment, sex, and developmental stage.
• Early-life stress can lead to distinct behavioral trajectories in males and females.