College of Medicine, Ajman University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates; Center of Medical and Bio-Allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates; Department of Anatomy, CMHS, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2024 Jan;234:173679. doi: 10.1016/j.pbb.2023.173679. Epub 2023 Nov 16.
Epidemiological surveys have shown a strong relationship between maternal stress and offspring's mood disorders. Growing evidence suggested that environmental enrichment (EE) improves cognitive function in models of psychiatric and neurological disorders. However, the potential protective effects of gestational EE on social stress-elicited mood disorders in offspring have not been studied. Knowing that the undeveloped brain is more sensitive to gestational environmental stimuli, we hypothesized that initiating cognitive stimulation, during gestation, would protect against social stress-induced behavioral alterations in adulthood. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of gestational EE on social stress-elicited anxiety- and ethanol-related behaviors in adult offspring. EE consisted of free access, of dams, to tubular devices of different shapes, colors, and sizes that were changed regularly. After birth and weaning, young adult offspring were exposed to 19 days of social stress and anxiety-like behavior was evaluated by elevated plus maze, open field, and marbles burying tests. The two-bottle choice (TBC) drinking paradigm was used to assess stress-induced ethanol intake. Results showed that gestational EE prevented social stress-elicited anxiogenic-like effects with no differences in spontaneous locomotor activity. Moreover, in the TBC paradigm, mice pre-exposed to EE consistently showed a significantly decreased consumption and preference for ethanol with no effects on tastants' intakes. Interestingly, gestational EE increased serum BDNF levels, which showed a correlation with measures of anxiety- and ethanol-related behaviors. These findings indicate that some neurodevelopmental changes associated with prenatal EE may counteract adult social stress-induced behavioral alterations through a BDNF mechanism. Therefore, we propose that gestational EE has significant protective and beneficial effects on social stress-induced cognitive impairment. It can also alleviate anxiety-like behavior and subsequent excessive alcohol consumption.
流行病学调查表明，母体应激与后代情绪障碍之间存在很强的关系。越来越多的证据表明，环境丰富（EE）可改善精神和神经障碍模型中的认知功能。然而，妊娠期 EE 对后代社会应激诱发的情绪障碍的潜在保护作用尚未得到研究。由于未成熟的大脑对妊娠期环境刺激更为敏感，我们假设在妊娠期开始进行认知刺激，将能预防成年期社会应激引起的行为改变。因此，本研究旨在调查妊娠期 EE 对成年后代社会应激诱发的焦虑和乙醇相关行为的影响。EE 包括让母鼠自由接触不同形状、颜色和大小的管状设备，这些设备会定期更换。出生和断奶后，年轻的成年后代会经历 19 天的社会压力，通过高架十字迷宫、旷场和大理石埋藏试验评估焦虑样行为。双瓶选择（TBC）饮酒范式用于评估应激引起的乙醇摄入。结果表明，妊娠期 EE 可预防社会应激引起的焦虑样效应，同时不影响自发运动活动。此外，在 TBC 范式中，预先暴露于 EE 的小鼠持续表现出对乙醇的消耗和偏好显著降低，而对味觉剂的摄入没有影响。有趣的是，妊娠期 EE 增加了血清 BDNF 水平，BDNF 水平与焦虑和乙醇相关行为的测量值相关。这些发现表明，与产前 EE 相关的一些神经发育变化可能通过 BDNF 机制对抗成年社会应激引起的行为改变。因此，我们提出妊娠期 EE 对社会应激引起的认知障碍具有显著的保护和有益作用。它还可以减轻焦虑样行为和随后的过度饮酒。
