Genetically predisposed and resilient animal models of depression reveal divergent responses to early-life adversity.

OBJECTIVE: Early-life adversity is one of the strongest predictors of childhood depression, that may be exacerbated by a genetic predisposition to develop depression. We therefore investigated the bio-behavioural effects of an early-life stressor in an accepted rodent model of depression.

METHODS: The Flinders sensitive (FSL) and resistant (FRL) line rats were subjected to an early-life stressor, whereafter their bio-behavioural response during pubertal onset was evaluated. Male and female pups were maternally separated for 3 h per day from postnatal day 02 (PND02) to 17, when they were also weaned. Control animals were left undisturbed, until weaning on PND21. Depressive-like behaviour was analysed on PND21 and reassessed on PND36. Hippocampal monoamine levels, markers of oxidative stress and metabolic markers implicating mitochondrial function were also measured.

RESULTS: On PND21, the non-maternal separation and early weaning (non-MSEW) FSL rats spent 10% more time mobile than their FRL controls in the tail suspension test (TST) yet displayed increased depressive-like behaviour in the forced swim test (FST) on PND36. The depressive-like behaviour coincided with increased hippocampal norepinephrine levels, serotonin turnover and a dysfunctional redox state. Maternal separation and early weaning (MSEW) appeared to initially reduce early-life (PND21) depressive-like behaviour in the TST but then induced depressive-like behaviour on PND36, and increased norepinephrine levels more profoundly in the FRL rats.

CONCLUSION: These findings highlight the need to further investigate the stress response pathway in these animals and that the absence or presence of genetic susceptibility may influence the presentation of early-life adversity effects.