Canadian Centre for Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Canada.
Brain Res. 2011 Jul 11;1400:53-65. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2011.05.038. Epub 2011 May 23.
Based on the findings of postnatal tactile stimulation (TS), a favorable experience in rats, the present study examined the influence of prenatal TS on juvenile behavior, adult amphetamine (AMPH) sensitization, and structural alteration in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the striatum. Female rats received TS through a baby hair brush throughout pregnancy, and the pups born were tested for open field locomotion, elevated plus maze (EPM), novel object recognition (NOR), and play fighting behaviors. Development and persistence of drug-induced behavioral sensitization in adults were tested by repeated AMPH administration and a challenge, respectively. Structural plasticity in the brain was assessed from the prefrontal cortical thickness and striatum size from serial coronal sections. The results indicate that TS females showed enhanced exploration in the open field. TS decreased the frequency of playful attacks whereas the response to face or evade an attack was not affected. Anxiety-like behavior and cognitive performance were not influenced by TS. AMPH administration resulted in gradual increase in locomotor activity (i.e., behavioral sensitization) that persisted at least for 2 weeks. However, both male and female TS rats exhibited attenuated AMPH sensitization compared to sex-matched controls. Furthermore, the drug-associated alteration in the prefrontal cortical thickness and striatum size observed in controls were prevented by TS experience. In summary, TS during prenatal development modified juvenile behavior, attenuated drug-induced behavioral sensitization in adulthood, and reorganized brain regions implicated in drug addiction.
基于产后触觉刺激 (TS) 在大鼠身上的有利发现，本研究探讨了产前 TS 对青少年行为、成年安非他命 (AMPH) 敏化以及前额叶皮层 (PFC) 和纹状体结构改变的影响。雌性大鼠在整个怀孕期间通过婴儿毛刷接受 TS，然后对出生的幼崽进行旷场运动、高架十字迷宫 (EPM)、新物体识别 (NOR) 和玩耍战斗行为测试。通过重复 AMPH 给药和挑战分别测试了成年期药物诱导行为敏化的发展和持续。从连续冠状切片中评估大脑的结构可塑性。结果表明，TS 雌性动物在旷场中表现出更强的探索性。TS 减少了玩耍攻击的频率，而对脸部或躲避攻击的反应则不受影响。焦虑样行为和认知表现不受 TS 影响。安非他命给药导致运动活动逐渐增加（即行为敏化），至少持续 2 周。然而，与性别匹配的对照组相比，TS 大鼠的雄性和雌性都表现出 AMPH 敏化减弱。此外，TS 经验防止了对照组中观察到的与药物相关的前额叶皮层厚度和纹状体大小的改变。总之，产前发育过程中的 TS 改变了青少年行为，减弱了成年期药物诱导的行为敏化，并重塑了与药物成瘾相关的大脑区域。
