articleJournal of NeuroscienceSep 15, 2002BRONZE OA

Environmental Enrichment Reverses the Effects of Maternal Separation on Stress Reactivity

DFDarlene FrancisJDJosie DiorioPMPaul M. PlotskyMJMichael J. Meaney

McGill University · Douglas Mental Health University Institute · +1 more institution

PubMed
Indexed incrossrefpubmed

Abstract

Postnatal maternal separation increases hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) gene expression and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and behavioral responses to stress. We report here that environmental enrichment during the peripubertal period completely reverses the effects of maternal separation on both HPA and behavioral responses to stress, with no effect on CRF mRNA expression. We conclude that environmental enrichment leads to a functional reversal of the effects of maternal separation through compensation for, rather than reversal of, the neural effects of early life adversity.

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660
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Authors

4

Topics & keywords

Topics
Keywords
  • Maternal deprivation
  • Psychology
  • Environmental enrichment
  • Corticosterone
  • Endocrinology
  • Reactivity (psychology)
  • Environmental stress
  • Internal medicine
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