Environmental enrichment effects after early stress on behavior and functional brain networks in adult rats

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226377
• Publication Date: 2019-12-12T13:31:53Z
• Authors: Héctor González-P...; Jorge L. Arias; Guillermo Vallejo; Nélida M. Conejo
• Keywords: Environmental Enrichment; Elevated plus maze; Chronic Stress

Early life stress is associated with long-term and pervasive adverse effects on neuroendocrine development, affecting normal cognitive emotional development. Experimental manipulations like environmental enrichment (EE) may potentially reverse the of early induced by maternal separation (MS) paradigm in rodents. However, functional brain networks involved EE after prolonged exposure to MS have not yet been investigated. In order evaluate possible changes connectivity MS, quantitative cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) histochemistry was applied determine regional oxidative metabolism adult male rats. Unexpectedly, results show that during entire weaning period did cause any detrimental spatial learning memory, including depressive-like behavior evaluated forced-swim test, decreased anxiety-like behavior. seemed alter anxiety- depression-like behaviors both control groups, but improved memory latter groups. Analysis CCO activity showed significantly lower metabolic capacity most regions selected groups probably chronic stress, no capacity. addition, principal component analysis revealed increased large-scale comprising at least three main affected Moreover, a pattern as compared non-enriched conclusion, had differential cognition irrespective MS. view remarkable function behavior, implementation rodent housing conditions should be optimized evaluating balance between scientific validity animal welfare.