Nowak, Anna2019-10-142019-10-142019-05http://udspace.udel.edu/handle/19716/24464Child abuse and neglect greatly influence the psychiatric well-being of its victims. To understand how to treat or prevent maladaptive outcomes, it is crucial to understand the biological consequences of maltreatment. Animal models are necessary to do this. Using a rodent model of caregiver maltreatment, previous research in our lab has shown sex-dependent differences in adult phenotypic outcomes and in brain methylation levels of DNA associated with the brain derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) gene. The reasons underlying this sex disparity are unknown, and in the current experiment, we aimed to discern whether there is a difference in the quality of maternal care received by male and female pups in our rodent model. Newborn rodents were assigned to three different experimental groups for the first seven days of life. The groups included normal maternal care from their biological dam, cross-foster care from another dam, and maltreatment from another dam. Data show that a higher percentage of adverse caregiving behaviors are directed towards female pups in the maltreatment condition. We also examined whether there were sex differences in methylation of Bdnf IX DNA in the prefrontal cortex of pups after the maltreatment. No differences in methylation were found at the infant age examined. The differences in caregiving suggest a reason for why females in this model experience greater behavioral and epigenetic consequences than males.Neuroscience, Sex Differences in pup caregivng, Scarcity-adversity with maltreatmentThesis