Age-dependent effects of maternal deprivation on oxidative stress in infant rat brain

Developing brain is much more sensitive to all kind of stressors than the developed brain. Early maternal deprivation causes some behavioural and physiological effects on rats. After the birth, there is no endocrinological response to stressors between post-natal 4 and 14th days, which is called stress-hyporesponsive period (SHRP) in rats. This hypo-responsiveness is time- and stressor-specific, as some more severe stressors have been shown to induce a stress response. The present study examined the effects of maternal deprivation on oxidative stress in the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex (PFC) and striatum regions of the brain both during and after SHRP of the infant rats. The results showed that maternal deprivation in SHRP increased antioxidant enzyme activities and reduced lipid peroxidation in infant rat brain. However, by the termination of SHRP, maternal deprivation reduced enzyme activities and increased lipid peroxidation. The results indicated that infant brain might be protected in SHRP from maternal deprivation-induced oxidative stress.