Developmental lead exposure and aggression in male rats: Influences of maternal care and environmental enrichment
Developmental lead (Pb) exposure results in a variety of cognitive deficits and behavioral issues including increased antisocial behavior and aggression. This study investigated the effect of developmental Pb exposure on aggression and violent behavior in male rats and the potential modulatory influ...
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| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Toxicology Reports |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214750025000551 |
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| author | Shamaila Zafar Courtney Williams Jaehyun Joo Blanca E. Himes Jay S. Schneider |
| author_facet | Shamaila Zafar Courtney Williams Jaehyun Joo Blanca E. Himes Jay S. Schneider |
| author_sort | Shamaila Zafar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Developmental lead (Pb) exposure results in a variety of cognitive deficits and behavioral issues including increased antisocial behavior and aggression. This study investigated the effect of developmental Pb exposure on aggression and violent behavior in male rats and the potential modulatory influences of quality of maternal care and enriched/non-enriched housing conditions. Long-Evans male rats with or without Pb exposure (perinatal or early postnatal) from low or high maternal care mothers (based on amounts of licking/grooming and arched-back nursing) were randomly assigned to live in enriched or non-enriched environments at weaning. At postnatal day 120–190, offensive aggression was assessed using a resident intruder test. Clinch attack (CAK) frequency and latency, and occurrence of biting events were observed to determine violent behavior. Both perinatal and postnatal Pb-exposed rats were significantly more aggressive and showed more violent behavior, compared to non-Pb-exposed animals, regardless of level of maternal care and environmental enrichment. High maternal care significantly lowered the proportion of animals with short CAK latencies and enriched housing significantly lowered the occurrence of biting events. These results suggest that high maternal care and enriched housing may potentially modify expression of violent aggressive behavior in rats with early life Pb exposure. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cc31ef338d004dbaa2b6fd34851ea452 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2214-7500 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Toxicology Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-cc31ef338d004dbaa2b6fd34851ea4522025-02-05T04:32:07ZengElsevierToxicology Reports2214-75002025-06-0114101937Developmental lead exposure and aggression in male rats: Influences of maternal care and environmental enrichmentShamaila Zafar0Courtney Williams1Jaehyun Joo2Blanca E. Himes3Jay S. Schneider4Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, United StatesDepartment of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, United StatesDepartment of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States; Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United StatesDepartment of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States; Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United StatesDepartment of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, United States; Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States; Correspondence to: Department of Pathology and Genomic Science, Thomas Jefferson University, 1020 Locust Street, JAH 349, Philadelphia, PA 19107, United States.Developmental lead (Pb) exposure results in a variety of cognitive deficits and behavioral issues including increased antisocial behavior and aggression. This study investigated the effect of developmental Pb exposure on aggression and violent behavior in male rats and the potential modulatory influences of quality of maternal care and enriched/non-enriched housing conditions. Long-Evans male rats with or without Pb exposure (perinatal or early postnatal) from low or high maternal care mothers (based on amounts of licking/grooming and arched-back nursing) were randomly assigned to live in enriched or non-enriched environments at weaning. At postnatal day 120–190, offensive aggression was assessed using a resident intruder test. Clinch attack (CAK) frequency and latency, and occurrence of biting events were observed to determine violent behavior. Both perinatal and postnatal Pb-exposed rats were significantly more aggressive and showed more violent behavior, compared to non-Pb-exposed animals, regardless of level of maternal care and environmental enrichment. High maternal care significantly lowered the proportion of animals with short CAK latencies and enriched housing significantly lowered the occurrence of biting events. These results suggest that high maternal care and enriched housing may potentially modify expression of violent aggressive behavior in rats with early life Pb exposure.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214750025000551Lead exposureOffensive aggressionViolent behaviorMaternal careEnvironmental enrichmentResident intruder paradigm |
| spellingShingle | Shamaila Zafar Courtney Williams Jaehyun Joo Blanca E. Himes Jay S. Schneider Developmental lead exposure and aggression in male rats: Influences of maternal care and environmental enrichment Toxicology Reports Lead exposure Offensive aggression Violent behavior Maternal care Environmental enrichment Resident intruder paradigm |
| title | Developmental lead exposure and aggression in male rats: Influences of maternal care and environmental enrichment |
| title_full | Developmental lead exposure and aggression in male rats: Influences of maternal care and environmental enrichment |
| title_fullStr | Developmental lead exposure and aggression in male rats: Influences of maternal care and environmental enrichment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Developmental lead exposure and aggression in male rats: Influences of maternal care and environmental enrichment |
| title_short | Developmental lead exposure and aggression in male rats: Influences of maternal care and environmental enrichment |
| title_sort | developmental lead exposure and aggression in male rats influences of maternal care and environmental enrichment |
| topic | Lead exposure Offensive aggression Violent behavior Maternal care Environmental enrichment Resident intruder paradigm |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214750025000551 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT shamailazafar developmentalleadexposureandaggressioninmaleratsinfluencesofmaternalcareandenvironmentalenrichment AT courtneywilliams developmentalleadexposureandaggressioninmaleratsinfluencesofmaternalcareandenvironmentalenrichment AT jaehyunjoo developmentalleadexposureandaggressioninmaleratsinfluencesofmaternalcareandenvironmentalenrichment AT blancaehimes developmentalleadexposureandaggressioninmaleratsinfluencesofmaternalcareandenvironmentalenrichment AT jaysschneider developmentalleadexposureandaggressioninmaleratsinfluencesofmaternalcareandenvironmentalenrichment |