Open Collections

UBC Faculty Research and Publications

Reproductive experience alters corticosterone and CBG levels in the rat dam Pawluski, Jodi Lynn; Charlier, Thierry D.; Lieblich, Stephanie E.; Hammond, Geoffrey L.; Galea, Liisa A. M.

Abstract

Reproductive experience has significant effects on the brain, behavior and hormone profiles of the mother. Recent work has demonstrated that primiparous rats exhibit decreased dendritic arborizations in the hippocampus, and enhanced hippocampusdependent spatial memory performance at the time of weaning compared to nulliparous and, to a lesser degree, multiparous rats. Interestingly, enhanced spatial learning and reduced dendritic arbors are seen in nulliparous female rats exposed to chronic stress or repeated corticosterone administration. Based on these observations, we hypothesized that corticosterone may be altered in primiparous compared to multiparous and nulliparous rats. The present study investigated whether the levels of circulating corticosterone and its binding protein, corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG), are altered with reproductive experience and pup-exposure during late pregnancy and postpartum periods. Total serum corticosterone and CBG were assayed from five groups; multiparous, primiparous, nulliparous, primip-no-pups, and sensitized rats during gestation (days 14 and 19) and the postpartum period (days 1, 5, 14, 21, and 35). Results show that primiparous rats had significantly elevated total corticosterone on postpartum day 1. In addition, primiparous and multiparous rats had significantly lower CBG throughout the postpartum period than all other groups, with primiparous rats exhibiting lower levels than multiparous rats during mid-lactation. These data suggest that free corticosterone is elevated in both primiparous and multiparous dams and is elevated to a greater degree in primiparous compared to multiparous dams during lactation. Corticosterone and CBG levels were positively correlated with specific maternal behaviors during the first week postpartum in parturient rats, but not in sensitized rats, suggesting a role for corticosterone in the modulation of maternal behavior in parturient rats.

Item Metadata

Title
Reproductive experience alters corticosterone and CBG levels in the rat dam
Alternate Title
Reproductive experience, CORT and CBG
Creator
Pawluski, Jodi Lynn; Charlier, Thierry D.; Lieblich, Stephanie E.; Hammond, Geoffrey L.; Galea, Liisa A. M.
Contributor
Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health; Child and Family Research Institute
Date Issued
2009
Description
Reproductive experience has significant effects on the brain, behavior and hormone profiles of the mother. Recent work has demonstrated that primiparous rats exhibit decreased dendritic arborizations in the hippocampus, and enhanced hippocampusdependent spatial memory performance at the time of weaning compared to nulliparous and, to a lesser degree, multiparous rats. Interestingly, enhanced spatial learning and reduced dendritic arbors are seen in nulliparous female rats exposed to chronic stress or repeated corticosterone administration. Based on these observations, we hypothesized that corticosterone may be altered in primiparous compared to multiparous and nulliparous rats. The present study investigated whether the levels of circulating corticosterone and its binding protein, corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG), are altered with reproductive experience and pup-exposure during late pregnancy and postpartum periods. Total serum corticosterone and CBG were assayed from five groups; multiparous, primiparous, nulliparous, primip-no-pups, and sensitized rats during gestation (days 14 and 19) and the postpartum period (days 1, 5, 14, 21, and 35). Results show that primiparous rats had significantly elevated total corticosterone on postpartum day 1. In addition, primiparous and multiparous rats had significantly lower CBG throughout the postpartum period than all other groups, with primiparous rats exhibiting lower levels than multiparous rats during mid-lactation. These data suggest that free corticosterone is elevated in both primiparous and multiparous dams and is elevated to a greater degree in primiparous compared to multiparous dams during lactation. Corticosterone and CBG levels were positively correlated with specific maternal behaviors during the first week postpartum in parturient rats, but not in sensitized rats, suggesting a role for corticosterone in the modulation of maternal behavior in parturient rats.
Subject
Corticosteroid binding globulin (CBG); Corticosterone; Lactation; Pregnancy; Postpartum; Maternal behavior; Parity; Reproduction; Sensitization; Steroids
Genre
Article; Postprint
Type
Text
Language
eng
Date Available
2019-05-22
Provider
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
DOI
10.14288/1.0378933
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/2429/70248
Affiliation
Arts, Faculty of; Medicine, Faculty of; Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of; Psychiatry, Department of
Citation
Pawluski, J. L., Charlier, T. D., Lieblich, S. E., Hammond, G. L., & Galea, L. A. M. (2009). Reproductive experience alters corticosterone and CBG levels in the rat dam. Physiology & Behavior, 96(1), 108-114.
Publisher DOI
10.1016/j.physbeh.2008.09.004
Peer Review Status
Reviewed
Scholarly Level
Faculty; Researcher; Graduate
Rights URI
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Aggregated Source Repository
DSpace

Item Media

Item Citations and Data

Rights

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International