Systemic immune activation in early postnatal life is capable of altering the reactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to stress and behavioral responsiveness to social interaction in later life. We propose two experiments to address the possibility that early social interactions between infants and mothers are key contributors in early immune-activation effects on adult social behaviors. Using a well-defined animal model of selectively bred mice in a cross-fostering experimental design, we assess the contributions of individual differences in infant responsiveness to immune stimuli, and the contributions of changes in maternal behavior to the prediction of adult outcomes. Immune activation will be manipulated by i.p. injection of endotoxin or saline to neonates. In Study l, treated neonates will be cross-fostered into different maternal caregiving environments. In Study 2, infants with apparent line-differences in sensitivity to endotoxin are crossed into similar caregiving environments. The findings generated are expected to direct next steps in the search for the determinants of the developmental effects of this ubiquitous and non-obvious environmental influence on behavior. Understanding the process responsible for this developmental effect may contribute to a more general account of how organisms receive influences from the environment and how these stimuli are fused with the process of maturation to produce competent individuals.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Small Research Grants (R03)
Project #
1R03MH057035-01A2
Application #
2854310
Study Section
Human Development and Aging Subcommittee 3 (HUD)
Program Officer
Oliveri, Mary Ellen
Project Start
1999-07-01
Project End
2001-06-30
Budget Start
1999-07-01
Budget End
2000-06-30
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
1999
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Pennsylvania State University
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Allied Health Profes
DUNS #
City
University Park
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
16802
Hood, Kathryn E; Dreschel, Nancy A; Granger, Douglas A (2003) Maternal behavior changes after immune challenge of neonates with developmental effects on adult social behavior. Dev Psychobiol 42:17-34
Granger, D A; Hood, K E; Dreschel, N A et al. (2001) Developmental effects of early immune stress on aggressive, socially reactive, and inhibited behaviors. Dev Psychopathol 13:599-610