Intense Maternal Care Influence Vulnerability of Children to Stress, Rat Study Shows

Extreme maternal care during early post-natal period makes children less prone to stressful situations, a latest rat study states.

Researchers conducted tests on group of rats in which they separated the baby rats from their mothers for a short time every day. This was continued for a week.

The researchers found that the mothers showered their babies with intense love and care after their reunion. Following this, the study authors examined the activity of neurons that produce the stress chemical corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) in the brains of the baby rats.

The study results showed that the CRH-producing stress neurons lowered when the baby rats were under intense maternal care. This means that they had reduced activity of stress-associated genes in these neurons, the researchers stated in a press release.

The researchers concluded that high levels of maternal care could actually help children less vulnerable to stressful situations in life.

"The findings show a direct causal effect of sensory input from the mother on the function of stress handling throughout life, and pinpoint the molecular changes involved. They also show plasticity of the wiring of the infant brain," lead researcher Tallie Z. Baram from the University of California at Irvine said.

He also said that that the study findings are important it will useful to understand the people who are prone to depression. "If we figure out exactly how cells regulate their stress molecules, we can modify and improve the function of the stress system in individuals who have not benefited from optimal early life environment, and perhaps prevent vulnerability to stress-related mental and cognitive problems," Dr Baram said.