S. Scaccianoce et al., Maternal glucocorticoid hormone influences nerve growth factor expression in the developing rat brain, NEUROREPORT, 12(13), 2001, pp. 2881-2884
Rat pups nursed from birth by mothers with increased plasma corticosterone
show long-lasting biochemical and behavioral modifications. Here we have in
vestigated nerve growth factor (NGF) concentrations in the basal forebrain,
prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of both male and female offspring at 11
days of age. Maternal hypercorticosteronemia was achieved by giving cortico
sterone-enriched water (200 mug/ml) from delivery. There was a significant
increase of NGF in the basal forebrain of both sexes and no changes in the
prefrontal cortex. In the hippocampus, an increase in NGF was found in male
s. These results indicate that a moderate increase of corticosterone in the
lactating mother modulates NGF in the developing rat. We propose that thes
e effects contribute directly to the long-lasting behavioral and biochemica
l modifications in pups nursed by hypercorticosteronemic mothers. NeuroRepo
rt 12:2881-2884 (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.