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

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. Overall design: Gene expression the in the hypothalamus, the nucleus accumbens and the medial prefrontal cortex, to examine the brain changes associated with maternal separation in C3H/HeN mice.