The Direct and Intergenerational Consequences of Adolescent Stress
Speaker: Dr Tamara Franklin, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University
Dr. Tamara Franklin is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at Dalhousie University, and she is the current Graduate Program Coordinator for her department. Her team’s research focuses on brain and behaviour, with current investigations centred on how environmental stressors affect social function in mice.
Talk summary: Adolescent stress is a risk factor for many mental health disorders including anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, and different forms of depression (e.g., major depressive disorder, postpartum depression). Unfortunately, perceived stress in adolescents is on the rise, with a substantial number of youths expressing that they are experiencing severe levels of stress in their day-to-day lives. To investigate why and how adolescent psychological stress has persistent adverse effects on individuals, we have been working with a predator stress model in mice. Male and female mice, exposed to a predator daily during adolescence, show increased anxiety-like behavioural traits and abnormal social function as adults, paralleling some of the persistent negative impacts of repeated stressors observed in humans. In addition, we have found that female mice exposed to adolescent stress display postpartum depression-like behaviours as adults; they provide less maternal care to their offspring and exhibit reduced motivation in effortful tasks. This was associated with increased anxiety-like behaviours in their adult offspring demonstrating intergenerational consequences. The significance of these findings in the context of female mental health and intergenerational transmission will be discussed.
Agenda:
12-12:45 pm EDT: Speaker presentation
12:45-1:00 pm EDT: Question and answer period
