Meaney M J, Aitken D H, Bodnoff S R, Iny L J, Tatarewicz J E, Sapolsky R M
Behav Neurosci. 1985 Aug;99(4):765-70. doi: 10.1037//0735-7044.99.4.765.
Norway rat pups were either handled (H) or undisturbed (nonhandled, NH) in the period between birth and weaning on Day 21. Following weaning, half of the animals in each group were housed socially (Soc), and half were housed in isolation (Isol). At 120-150 days of age, all animals were sacrificed, and the following regions were dissected and frozen at -70 degrees C until the time of assay: frontal cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus, amygdala, septum, and pituitary. [3H]Dexamethasone (3H Dex) binding in each region was examined by an in vitro, cytosol, receptor assay. 3H Dex binding was significantly higher in the hippocampus of both H-Soc and H-Isol than in NH groups. In the frontal cortex, 3H Dex binding was higher in the H-Soc animals than in the H-Isol and NH-Isol animals. There were no significant handling or housing effects found in the amygdala, hypothalamus, septum, or pituitary. Thus, early postnatal handling appears to influence the development of the glucocorticoid receptor system in the hippocampus and frontal cortex. These results are discussed as providing a possible mechanism for some of the previously reported effects of early handling on the development of the pituitary-adrenal response to stress.
在出生至第21天断奶期间，将挪威大鼠幼崽分为两组，一组进行处理（H组），另一组不做处理（未处理组，NH组）。断奶后，每组动物中一半进行群居饲养（Soc组），另一半单独饲养（Isol组）。在120 - 150日龄时，处死所有动物，并解剖以下区域，于-70℃冷冻保存直至检测时：额叶皮质、海马体、下丘脑、杏仁核、隔区和垂体。通过体外细胞质受体检测法检测每个区域的[³H]地塞米松（³H Dex）结合情况。H - Soc组和H - Isol组海马体中的³H Dex结合显著高于NH组。在额叶皮质中，H - Soc组动物的³H Dex结合高于H - Isol组和NH - Isol组动物。在杏仁核、下丘脑、隔区或垂体中未发现显著的处理或饲养效应。因此，出生后早期处理似乎会影响海马体和额叶皮质中糖皮质激素受体系统的发育。这些结果被认为为先前报道的早期处理对垂体 - 肾上腺应激反应发育的某些影响提供了一种可能的机制。
