Early life stress alters future stress responses by leading to neuropsychiatric disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety disorders. Following exposure to a stressor, animals release hormones that aim to reinstate homeostasis. Corticosterone (CORT), a stress hormone, is associated with the consolidation of fear memories where CORT can enhance new emotionally arousing memories. When […]
A54-P: Effects of Acute Early Life Stress and Maternal Buffering on Corticosterone Secretion and Adult Anxiety
In this study, we explore the effects of acute early life stress (ELS) on adult anxiety behaviors and anxiety-induced corticosterone (stress hormone) release in mice. Specifically, we are looking into the potential stress-mitigating effects of social buffering (interactions between the mouse pup and mother/littermates that can reduce negative effects of stressors). We used footshocks to […]
C39-P: Exploring Sex Differences in the Effects of Acute Early Life Stress on Reward Learning and Drug Sensitization in Adult Rats
Acute early life stress (ELS) has major behavioral and physiological implications later in life in mammals. In past experiments, the focus has been on chronic and not acute early life stressors. The literature is growing regarding the effects of ELS on drug-taking behavior later in life in both humans and rodent models. There is increased […]
C40-P: The Impact of Early Life Stress on the Development of Obesity and Anxiety Behavior in Adulthood
Individuals who experience early adversity are vulnerable to numerous somatic (e.g, obesity, heart disease) and psychological (e.g., anxiety, depression) health consequences later in life. Obesity affects one in six children and more than one-third of all adults in the United States. Current stress indicators range from absence of, or neglect by, the mother to a […]
C41-P: The Effect of Stressor Predictability on Stress Enhanced Fear Learning
While fear can be adaptive by inhibiting pain and eliciting defensive behavior, long lasting fear can have negative effects on overall health, including psychological disorders, such as PTSD (Harris & Seckl, 2011; Bolles & Fanselow, 1980). Unpredictability of an aversive event can sensitize the fear circuitry causing an increase in one’s stress response later in […]