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. 2015 Mar;57(2):226-36.
doi: 10.1002/dev.21286. Epub 2015 Feb 2.

Cross-fostering differentially affects ADHD-related behaviors in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Angela C Gauthier  1 , Nicole E DeAngeli, David J Bucci
Affiliations

Cross-fostering differentially affects ADHD-related behaviors in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Angela C Gauthier et al. Dev Psychobiol. 2015 Mar.

Abstract

Although both genetic and non-genetic factors are known to contribute to the occurrence of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity/Disorder (ADHD), little is known about how they impact specific symptoms. We used a cross-fostering approach with an established animal model of ADHD, the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat strain (SHR), to test the influence of genotype and maternal behavior on ADHD-related behaviors. SHRs and their normo-active genetic relative, Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY), were cross-fostered to an unfamiliar dam of either the same or different strain. Behavioral testing took place when the rats reached adulthood. Locomotor hyperactivity was completely dependent on the strain of the offspring. In contrast, social behavior was primarily determined by the strain of the mother, while attentional orienting behavior was influenced by both the strain of the offspring and the strain of the dam. Anxiety-related behavior was influenced by an interaction between offspring and dam strain.

Keywords: SHR; attention; attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; locomotor activity; social behavior.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Orienting behavior (rearing) exhibited by SHR and WKY rats that were cross-fostered to a dam of the same or opposite strain. The amount of rearing behavior was dependent on the strain of the offspring and also influenced by the interaction between offspring stain and dam strain. Data are means ± SEM.
Figure 2
Figure 2
(A) The number of social interactions exhibited by SHR and WKY rats when there were exposed to an unfamiliar conspecific rat. Social behavior was dependent entirely on the strain of the mother. (B) Locomotor activity as defined as the number of line crossings during the social interaction session. Activity was dependent solely on the strain of the offspring. Data are means ± SEM.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Time spent in the open arms of the elevated plus maze. There was an interaction between offspring strain and dam strain on the amount of time spent in the open arms. Data are means ± SEM.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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