The first experiences in life greatly influence and shape the human brain. Vulnerability to neuropsychiatric diseases later in life may be due to the interruption of the maturation of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) due to negative environmental influences during sensitive periods of development. Some studies suggest that women are more vulnerable than men to the second success of the early adversity of life.
Kelsea Gildawie, Lilly Ryll, Jessica C. Hexter, Shayna Peterzell, Alissa Valentine, directed by professor Heather Brenhouse of the Northeastern University, investigated the cumulative and specific long -term sex effects of multiple development stressors that are associated with disorders Psychiatry, and published their findings in the magazine Cognitive neuroscience of development.
They sought to determine how the separation of the newborns of the caregivers, followed by a second success of social isolation of their classmates, could have specific composition effects of women on the perineuronal networks of PFC, false of sugars and proteins that help neurons to adapt and grow, and if that contributes to susceptibility to behavior similar to anxiety. Kelsea Gildawie performed behavior tests in rats after the separation of her mother and then social isolation. Later they used immunohistochemistry, microscopy and quantification of images to show differences to expose differences between individuals.
One of the essential findings of this critical study is that in women, but not men, the social isolation of colleagues can counter Some harmful effects that neonatal adversity have in the way the animal responds to possible threats in the environment; However, when observing other types of behaviors that indicate anxiety, neonatal adversity could protect females of harmful effects of youth social isolation. When the researchers observed the cell level in the brain, they discovered that both adversity successes had a compound effect on perineuronal networks that help neurons communicate with each other.
Professor Brenhouse explains: “These findings are important because they suggest that the developing female brain takes very early life information and processes it in a way that affects the way it perceives and responds to subsequent threats, threats that include isolation of Companions while growing, as well as threats of later life in adulthood. The male brain seems to process these same types of traumas differently, and it is possible that it can cause different types of vulnerability and resilience between the two sexes. “Their data shows that the double coup of adversity produces a greater long -term impact on the Perineuronal Net Structural Integrity and Parvalbumin cell count in females.
“In the current study, we observe a specific sex effect of adversity on hyperactivity and risk assessment behavior; However, contrary to the findings in the brain, the results pattern was not additive, ”said Mrs. Gildawie. This could suggest that changes in behavior similar to anxiety are not caused by Parvalbumin induced by adversity and perineuronal interruption and that other processes may be at stake. Later, he added: “Future work will investigate other behaviors mediated by the prefrontal cortex that may be regulated by alterations in neurostructural maturation, such as social behavior and working memory.”
This new study has enormous potential to inform scientists and doctors interested in the impacts of early life adversity because it points to significant differences in the way in which men and women alter their development when they are exposed to this type of stressors. Therefore, we can better understand neuropsychiatric sequelae and possibly improve preventive treatments.
Main image magazine and credit reference:
Gildawie Kr, Ryll LM, Hexter JC, Peterzell S, Valentine AA, Brenhouse HC. An adversity model of two blows in developing rats reveals specific impacts of sex on the structure and behavior of the prefrontal cortex. Dev cogn neurosci. 2021 APR; 48: 100924. DOI: 10.1016/J.DCN.2021.100924. EPUB 2021 January 27.
About the authors
Dr. Heather Brenhouse, Ph.D.
associate professor
Dr. Heather Brenhouse is an associated professor in the Northeastern University Psychology Department. He received his degree in Psychobiology at the University of Binghamton, his EM in neuroscience of behavior and systems of the University of Rutgers, and his doctorate. in experimental psychology of the Northeastern University. He did his postdoctoral work at Harvard’s Faculty of Medicine, McLean Hospital, was an instructor of Harvard’s Faculty of Medicine, and then in 2012 he joined the Faculty of Neuroscience and Behavioral Psychology in Northeastern.
Kelsea Gildawie, ms
PhD. Candidate
Kelsea Gildawie is Ph.D. Candidate of the Northeastern University in the Development Neuropsychology Laboratory, directed by Dr. Heather Brenhouse. He received his BS in neuroscience and behavior from the University of Simmons, where he investigated the role of nutrition in cognitive deterioration related to age in mice. His current research implies the neuroimmune and neurostructural impacts dependent on the sex of the early adversity of life throughout the development and the corresponding behavioral interruption.
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