Postnatal environment (maternal care quality) permanently altered brain opioid peptide (dynorphin, enkephalin) levels in young and adult rats, with effects persisting through maturation — early life programs the opioid system.
Key findingPostnatal environment quality produced lasting changes in brain opioid peptide levels (dynorphin, enkephalin) across development into adulthood in Wis
What the researchers found
Postnatal environment quality produced lasting changes in brain opioid peptide levels (dynorphin, enkephalin) across development into adulthood in Wistar rats, demonstrating enduring early-life programming of the opioid system that may predispose to later psychopathology.
Why it matters
Relevant for opioid-peptides, neuropeptides, anxiety-mood.
How the study worked
animal-study study.
What this study cannot tell us
See abstract.
How to read the evidence
preliminary evidence.
When this study was published
Published in 2008.
The bigger picture
Advances peptide research.
Questions still open
- Further research needed.
- Clinical translation to evaluate.
Common questions
What was studied?
What was found?
Read the original research
The impact of postnatal environment on opioid peptides in young and adult male Wistar rats.
Neuropeptides, 42(2), 177-91
Citation
Gustafsson, Lisa; Oreland, Sadia; Hoffmann, Pernilla; Nylander, Ingrid. (2008). The impact of postnatal environment on opioid peptides in young and adult male Wistar rats.. Neuropeptides, 42(2), 177-91.