Brain Development
/// Learning in young mice
Litters are weaned at PND22 and submitted to normal/compound X enriched food until PND60. At PND60 15-18, three different behavioral procedures used:
The learning in the Morris water-maze (assessing spatial learning) from
PND60 to PND64.
The probe-test (assessing spatial long term memory) at PND65
The working memory procedure in the Morris water maze (assessing
spatial working memory) from PND66 to PND68.
/// Neonatal stress
Pregnant female rats are received in our animal facility at embryonic day 13 (E13).
Between E17 and E20, they are submitted to prenatal stress. Repeatedly restrained animals are placed in Plexiglas transparent cylinders (20 cm length, 7 cm diameter) under bright light during 90 min per day, for 4 consecutive days. Control dams are also handled but are never placed in restraint tubes.
At E21/PND1 (post natal day 1), litter is reduced to balanced 10 animals per dam, biological mothers raise their pups.
Litters weaned at PND22 and submitted to normal/compound X enriched food until PND60.
At PND60 15-18, three different behavioral procedures used:
- The learning in the Morris water-maze (assessing spatial learning) from PND60 to PND64.
- The probe-test (assessing spatial long term memory) at PND65
- The working memory procedure in the Morris water maze (assessing
spatial working memory) from PND66 to PND68.