Early deprivation alters the vocalization behavior of neonates directing maternal attention in a rat model of child neglect.

Animal models of child neglect (known as maternal separation or early deprivation) have suggested a causal link to subsequent depression and/or anxiety in children. In this experiment, the acoustical features of the ultrasonic calls emitted by a rat pup when separated from its dam were analyzed as well as the maternal behavior when the dam was allowed to retrieve the pup. Bout structure and harmonic double shifts did differ between controls and "neglected" pups, as did maternal attention.

Effects of multiple delayed rewards on delay discounting in an adjusting amount procedure.

It has been suggested that when the delivery of several rewards is separated in time, e.g. one reward immediately and a second reward a few moments later, the value of an alternative that includes these "bundled" rewards will be the sum of the hyperbolic discount functions of the individual rewards.

Neonatal social isolation alters both maternal and pup behaviors in rats.

The development of emotional behavior is dependent on the early experiences of the infant and the quality of maternal care. In these experiments, the effects of social isolation during the preweaning period on both pup behavior and maternal responsivity were examined. In the first study, the number of ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) emitted after brief maternal separation was measured in neonatal rats with differing histories of social isolation.