Systems neuroscience: From networks to behaviour - Impact of maternal deprivation on cortical gamma oscillations. (360G-Wellcome-092996_Z_10_Z)

Early life stress (i.e., a period of social deprivation or neglect occurring in postnatal life) is associated with a variety of neuropsychiatric outcomes in adult life. These include depression, post-traumatic-stress disorder, panic disorder, schizophrenia, attention deficit disorder and an abnormal stress response. Stress exposure in early life is also associated with deficits in cognitive function, including impaired spatial learning and memory. Little information exists concerning the impact of early life stress on cortical rhythms of cognitive relevance. Using a rodent model of early life stress, the ability of cortical circuits to generate neuronal oscillations implicated in cognitive function, will be examined. Specific aims to be addressed in cortical slices from control and maternally deprived rats are: 1) What is the impact of maternal deprivation for gamma oscillation generating circuits in a number of critical cortical regions? 2) Can differences between gamma oscillations in control and MD cortical circuits be explained by a reduction in the expression of specific interneuron subclasses? 3) Assess the longitudinal impact across lifespan of MD for cortical gamma oscillations.