Project Summary

Arie Kaffman, M.D., Ph.D. (Young Investigator 2004) of Yale University School of Medicine, will use a mouse model to study the effect of postnatal maternal care (PMC) on neurogenesis (the re-growth of neurons in the brain) and determine whether some of the behavioral conditions of poor PMC are due to its ability to modify this process. Children that have been abused or neglected during early development are at greater risk for developing disorders such as anxiety and depression later in life. In rodents, offspring exposed to lower levels of PMC show an increase in hypothalamic-pituitary axis (HPA) reactivity, as well as an increase in anxiety and depression-like behaviors. Dr. Kaffman will attempt to understand the mechanism by which PMC leads to behavioral changes. He will study the effect of PMC on neurogenesis in the mouse and determine whether some of the behavioral conditions of poor PMC are due to its ability to modify this process.

Program Area: MULTIPLE FOCUS AREAS\Anxiety Disorders/Mood Disorders

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