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Early Life Stress Inoculation Effects On Adult Behaviors, Oreoluwa Ibukunolupo Akinbo

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Chronic and acute stressors are implicated in mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety and posttraumatic disorder. These adulthood disorders may be influenced by stressor exposure during early life. However, controlled mild stressors are linked to the building of resiliency towards later intense stressors. Previously, rodent models have been used to investigate the resilience-promoting effects of early life stress inoculation protocols. For example, the presentation of mild stressors (such as an experimenter handling a rodent for brief periods of time) or exposure to environmental enrichment (such as a presenting a variety of items and activities in the home cage of a …