Developmental psychobiologyNov 15, 2005

How Mothers Affect Adult Stress and Anxiety Behaviors in Two Different Mouse Types Using Cross-Fostering

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Updated Apr 4, 2026

Abstract

Significantly less maternal care and elevated stress-induced corticosterone was observed in BALB/cJ mice compared to C57BL/6J mice.

Differences in maternal care between mouse strains may influence stress reactivity and anxiety in adulthood.
C57BL/6J mice exhibited more maternal care and lower stress-induced emotionality than BALB/cJ mice.
No significant differences were found in glucocorticoid receptor mRNA levels in the hippocampus or paraventricular nucleus between strains.
Cross-fostering litters altered anxiety-like behavior and basal corticosterone levels, indicating an effect of early rearing conditions.
Genetic factors likely account for some differences in behavior, but early environmental factors also play a role.

Simplified

The quality of maternal care during early life has a dramatic impact on later stress reactivity and anxiety. Two inbred mouse strains, C57BL/6J and BALB/cJ, differ in levels of maternal care, stress reactivity, and anxiety-like behavior in adulthood. However, the relative contribution of early environmental factors and genetic predisposition to differences in these strains is not known. Maternal care, plasma corticosterone levels, emotionality, and hippocampal and paraventricular nucleus (PVN) glucocorticoid receptor mRNA levels were measured in adult C57BL/6J and BALB/cJ mice. Litters were then cross-fostered and anxiety-like behavior and stress reactivity was assessed in adulthood. Significantly less maternal care and elevated stress-induced corticosterone and emotionality was observed in BALB/cJ compared to C57BL/6J mice. Yet, no strain differences were found in hippocampal or paraventricular nucleus glucocorticoid receptor mRNA levels. Cross-fostering did alter anxiety-like behavior and basal corticosterone levels, which suggests that while genetic differences account for some of the variations between these two strains early rearing conditions also contribute.

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How Mothers Affect Adult Stress and Anxiety Behaviors in Two Different Mouse Types Using Cross-Fostering

Abstract

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