The rat model of global anoxia at birth has been used extensively to investigate effects of perinatal hypoxia on central nervous system function. Less research has characterized behavioural phenotypes resulting from birth hypoxia. Experiment 1 examined maternal behaviour (licking/grooming, retrieval) directed toward pups born vaginally (Vag), by caesarean section (CS) or by caesarean section with anoxia (CS+anox). Similar levels of maternal care were observed across all birth groups indicating that the sequelae of birth hypoxia in the rat are not mediated by differential postnatal maternal care. Experiment 2 investigated the effects of birth hypoxia on prepulse inhibition (PPI) and latent inhibition (LI), behaviours with clinical correlates in neurodevelopmental disorders. No differences were found in PPI or LI between Vag, CS or CS+anox groups at adulthood. Intriguingly, however, decreased freezing to the context was observed in CS and CS+anox rats suggesting that caesarean section birth may produce deficits in contextual learning.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.101600 |
| Date | January 2007 |
| Creators | Levine, Yonina C. |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Master of Science (Division of Neuroscience.) |
| Rights | © Yonina C. Levine, 2007 |
| Relation | alephsysno: 002587902, proquestno: AAIMR32741, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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