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Social Buffering By Unfamiliar Adult Males in Periadolescent Guinea Pigs: The Effects on HPA Axis Activity And Fos Induction In The Medial Prefrontal Cortex

Bertke, Alexander
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=wright1559558966039455

Abstract Details

2019, Master of Science (MS), Wright State University, Anatomy.
In the guinea pig, the ability of the mother’s presence to buffer hypothalamic-pituitary- adrenal (HPA) axis activation in her young during exposure to stressful stimuli has been well documented. Under similar testing conditions, other conspecifics (littermates, other adult females) are less effective in doing so. The effect does seem to wane with age but is still present to a significant degree in offspring approaching adolescence. However, we recently observed that an unfamiliar adult male buffered HPA axis activation and increased Fos expression in the prefrontal cortex of preweaning infants exposed to a novel enclosure at both 60 and 120 minutes but did not buffer HPA axis activation in periadolescent guinea pigs tested at 60 minutes. Here, we found that an unfamiliar adult male buffered mean plasma cortisol levels in periadolescent guinea pigs exposed to a novel enclosure at 120 minutes. Social interactions between the adult male and periadolescent were observed with the periadolescent vocalizing less but exhibiting more passive behavior and locomotion than when alone. Fos values in the prefrontal cortex were lower than values measured in prior studies and were not affected by the presence of the male. In summary, unfamiliar adult males are, in fact, capable of buffering plasma cortisol responses in periadolescent guinea pigs if given a sufficient amount of time for the effect to be detected. We found no evidence that this buffering was mediated by increased prefrontal activity.
Michael Hennessy, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Patricia Schiml, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Barbara Kraszpulska, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
47 p.
Developmental Psychology; Neurobiology
Social buffering; Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal; Cortisol; Prefrontal cortex; Prelimbic; Infralimbic; Social development; Guinea pig

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Bertke, A. (2019). Social Buffering By Unfamiliar Adult Males in Periadolescent Guinea Pigs: The Effects on HPA Axis Activity And Fos Induction In The Medial Prefrontal Cortex [Master's thesis, Wright State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=wright1559558966039455

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Bertke, Alexander. Social Buffering By Unfamiliar Adult Males in Periadolescent Guinea Pigs: The Effects on HPA Axis Activity And Fos Induction In The Medial Prefrontal Cortex. 2019. Wright State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=wright1559558966039455.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Bertke, Alexander. "Social Buffering By Unfamiliar Adult Males in Periadolescent Guinea Pigs: The Effects on HPA Axis Activity And Fos Induction In The Medial Prefrontal Cortex." Master's thesis, Wright State University, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=wright1559558966039455

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

wright1559558966039455
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© 2019, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Wright State University and OhioLINK.