LASTING EFFECTS OF EARLY POSTNATAL STRESS ON SOCIAL PREFERENCE AND HELPING BEHAVIOR

Early postnatal stress profoundly reshapes brain circuits underlying social and emotional behavior. Disruption of oxytocinergic signaling, glucocorticoid pathways during critical developmental windows can lead to long-lasting deficits in social cognition and empathy.
The present study examined the effects of early postnatal stress on empathy-related, emotional–motivational, and social behavior in adulthood using a rat model. Male rats were divided into two groups: control and early stress. Stress was induced by daily immobilization from PN0 to PN20 (2 hours/day for 20 days). Behavioral assessments were performed at PN90 using the social preference test, open field test, and a prosocial door-opening (helping behavior) task (n = 10 per group). Data was analyzed using ANOVA followed by Tukey’s post hoc test.

In the social preference test, control rats showed a clear preference for social interaction, spending significantly more time with a confined conspecific than in empty or start compartments. In contrast, stressed rats failed to display social preference and spent comparable time across compartments. In the open field test, stressed rats exhibited reduced locomotor activity, fewer center entries and rearings, and increased grooming behavior, indicating heightened anxiety. In the helping behavior task, control rats demonstrated goal-directed door-opening behavior and successfully released a trapped conspecific, whereas stressed rats showed prolonged approach latency, fewer attempts, and failed to open the door over three days.
Conclusion. Early postnatal stress leads to persistent impairments in social preference, empathy-related behavior, and emotional–motivational activity in adulthood.
The research was supported by Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation FR-24-401