Fig. 1: Rodent experimental design.
From: Adverse caregiving in infancy blunts neural processing of the mother
In all rodent experiments, we used the scarcity-adversity model of low bedding, which induced maltreatment of pups in the rat mothers. In Experiment 1, adversity-rearing occurred from PN8–12 and at PN13–14, pups were removed from the nest and given the rodent rSSP while cortical LFP was recorded. In Experiment 2, neurobehavioral assessment of pups occurred during the control or adversity-rearing. Experiment 3 assessed causation in Experiment 1 and Experiment 2 results by blocking corticosterone synthesis. All pups experienced control or adversity-rearing from PN8-12, and then one cohort of pups received daily injections of metyrapone or saline 90 min before bedding was removed (5 administrations total, EXP 3A) while another cohort received a single injection 90 min before the rSSP procedure (EXP 3B).
