RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Environmental Enrichment Reverses the Effects of Maternal Separation on Stress Reactivity
JF The Journal of Neuroscience
JO J. Neurosci.
FD Society for Neuroscience
SP 7840
OP 7843
DO 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.22-18-07840.2002
VO 22
IS 18
A1 Francis, Darlene D.
A1 Diorio, Josie
A1 Plotsky, Paul M.
A1 Meaney, Michael J.
YR 2002
UL http://www.jneurosci.org/content/22/18/7840.abstract
AB 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.