TY - JOUR
T1 - Chronic variable stress in fathers alters paternal and social behavior but not pup development in the biparental California mouse (Peromyscus californicus)
AU - Harris, Breanna
AU - Jong, Trynke R De
AU - Yang, Vanessa
AU - Saltzman, Wendy
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - Stress and chronically elevated glucocorticoid levels have been shown to disrupt parental behavior in mothers;
however, almost no studies have investigated corresponding effects in fathers. The present experiment tested
the hypothesis that chronic variable stress inhibits paternal behavior and consequently alters pup development
in the monogamous, biparental California mouse (Peromyscus californicus). First-time fathers were assigned to
one of three experimental groups: chronic variable stress (CVS, n = 8), separation control (SC, n = 7), or
unmanipulated control (UC, n = 8). The CVS paradigm (3 stressors per day for 7 days) successfully stressed
mice, as evidenced by increased baseline plasma corticosterone concentrations, increased adrenal mass,
decreased thymus mass, and a decrease in body mass over time. CVS altered paternal and social behavior of
fathers, butmajor differenceswere observed only on day 6 of the 7-day paradigm. At that time point, CVS fathers
spent less time with th
AB - Stress and chronically elevated glucocorticoid levels have been shown to disrupt parental behavior in mothers;
however, almost no studies have investigated corresponding effects in fathers. The present experiment tested
the hypothesis that chronic variable stress inhibits paternal behavior and consequently alters pup development
in the monogamous, biparental California mouse (Peromyscus californicus). First-time fathers were assigned to
one of three experimental groups: chronic variable stress (CVS, n = 8), separation control (SC, n = 7), or
unmanipulated control (UC, n = 8). The CVS paradigm (3 stressors per day for 7 days) successfully stressed
mice, as evidenced by increased baseline plasma corticosterone concentrations, increased adrenal mass,
decreased thymus mass, and a decrease in body mass over time. CVS altered paternal and social behavior of
fathers, butmajor differenceswere observed only on day 6 of the 7-day paradigm. At that time point, CVS fathers
spent less time with th
M3 - Article
SP - 799
EP - 811
JO - Hormones and Behavior
JF - Hormones and Behavior
ER -