Title: | Impaired maternal behavior in mice lacking norepinephrine and epinephrine |
Address: | "Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, USA" |
DOI: | 10.1016/s0092-8674(00)80446-8 |
ISSN/ISBN: | 0092-8674 (Print) 0092-8674 (Linking) |
Abstract: | "The roles of norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine in behavior were investigated by targeted disruption of the dopamine beta-hydroxylase (Dbh) gene, thereby eliminating these compounds in vivo. Most heterozygous pups born to Dbh-/- females died within several days of birth and were often found scattered within the bedding. Potential causes including deficits in olfaction and lactation were not apparent. A deficit in maternal behavior was confirmed by the lack of pup retrieval exhibited by Dbh-/- virgin females. Restoration of NE shortly before but not after birth induced females that previously abandoned their litters to act maternally. Our results suggest that NE is responsible for long-lasting changes that promote maternal behavior during both development and parturition in mice" |
Keywords: | "Animals Antiparkinson Agents/pharmacology Discrimination Learning Droxidopa/pharmacology Epinephrine/deficiency/*genetics Female Male Maternal Behavior/drug effects/*physiology Memory/physiology Mice Mice, Inbred BALB C Mice, Inbred C57BL Mice, Inbred DBA;" |
Notes: | "MedlineThomas, S A Palmiter, R D eng HD09172/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/ Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. 1997/12/11 Cell. 1997 Nov 28; 91(5):583-92. doi: 10.1016/s0092-8674(00)80446-8" |