Neonatal ventral hippocampus lesion disrupts maternal behavior in rats: An animal model of schizophrenia

Claudia P. Sánchez-Olguin, Sergio R. Zamudio, Sonia Guzmán-Velázquez, Mariana Márquez-Portillo, Mario Daniel Caba-Flores, Israel Camacho-Abrego, Gonzalo Flores, Angel I. Melo

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Although individuals with schizophrenia typically present deficits in social interaction, little is known about the quality of their parent–infant interactions. In the present study, we assessed the behavioral effects of neonatal ventral hippocampus lesion (nVHL) in female rats (nVHL is known to induce schizophrenia-like deficits in males). Sexually naïve adult nVHL or sham female rats received cognitive and social tests, and their maternal behavior was observed in independent groups of adult nVHL and sham rats on postpartum days 2, 6, and 12. Compared to Sham females, naïve nVHL rats displayed elevated locomotor activity, less social interaction, and disrupted habituation of the acoustic startle response (ASR), while dorsal immobility (a defensive behavioral response) and prepulse inhibition of ASR were not affected. Although all nVHL mothers retrieved their pups, adopted the crouching posture, and nursed them, they showed disturbances in the display of pup body licking and nest building. Furthermore, a high proportion of nVHL mothers displayed atypical retrieval of pups and re-retrieving of pups, atypical nest-building, excavation, and cannibalism, as well a high level of these behaviors. These data indicate that cognition, locomotor activity, and maternal care is disrupted in nVHL female, suggesting disturbances in mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic systems and/or in social cognition.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere22283
JournalDevelopmental Psychobiology
Volume64
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2022

Keywords

  • habituation of ASR
  • maternal behavior
  • neonatal ventral hippocampus lesion
  • schizophrenia
  • sensorimotor gating
  • social cognition
  • social interaction

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