Differences in nucleus accumbens transcriptome are associated with high motivation for palatable reward in C3H/hen male mice exposed to maternal separation [hypothalamus]

The aim of this study was to determine the impact of early life stress on the motivation for a palatable nutritional reward in two mouse strains. Our data showed that MS associated with unpredictable chronic mild stress in lactating dams exacerbated motivation for a palatable food reward (sweetened milk) in both males and females C3H/HeN mice. Interestingly, no effect of MS was reported on motivation in C57Bl/6J mice strain. The transcriptomic analysis revealed that exacerbated motivation in MS C3H/HeN male mice was associated with marked changes in gene expressions in the NAc, whereas no significant changes were reported in PFC or hypothalamus. Gene expression the in the hypothalamus, the nucleus accumbens and the median prefrontal cortex, to examine the brain changes associated with maternal separation in C3H/HeN mice.