Lactation and Reactivity to Physical and Psychological Stress
Abstract
Data collection has been completed and manuscript preparation is in progress for all of the human studies outlined in this proposal. Findings to date include lack of changes in attention and memory functions during pregnancy and lactation, lack of difference in hormonal and anxiety responses to psychological stress, enhanced lymphocyte proliferation and insensitivity to cytokine suppression by glucocorticoids in lactating women, and increased blood pressure and heart rate and decreased vagal tone in postpartum, nonlactating women. Data collection is in progress or complete for animal studies outlined in this proposal. Consistent with the human studies described above, enhanced lymphocyte proliferation has been found in lactating rats compared to nonlactating rats and virgins. These data from rats and humans identify a heretofore unrecognized benefit of lactation. We also have expanded our analysis of the "anti-stress" effects of the hormones of lactation to use a second rodent model, the prairie vole. We have discovered that prairie voles have responses to oxytocin which are similar to those reported in humans, and plan to continue to use this model to understand the mechanisms through which lactation influences mammalian responses to stress.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA331238
Entities
People
- C. S. Carter
Organizations
- University of Maryland