Biomaterial Database

Neonatal stimulation, maternal behavior, and accelerated maturation in BALB/c mice. 1978

M S Cross, and R C Labarba

An experiment was conducted to examine the effects of neonatal handling and hypothermia on infant physical maturation and growth and on maternal behavior in BALB/c mice. Stringent methodological and statistical controls were employed for experimenter bias and litter effects. No evidence appeared to support claims that neonatal stimulation leads to accelerated physical maturation. Alterations in maternal behavior patterns were found only immediately following hypothermia of pups. Maternal behavior did not correlate highly with offspring maturational rates, but maternal weight and age and pup birth weight were highly predictive of infant physical maturation.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008098	Litter Size	The number of offspring produced at one birth by a viviparous animal.	Litter Sizes,Size, Litter,Sizes, Litter
D008297	Male		Males
D008423	Maternal Age	The age of the mother in PREGNANCY.	Age, Maternal,Ages, Maternal,Maternal Ages
D008425	Maternal Behavior	The behavior patterns associated with or characteristic of a mother.	Maternal Patterns of Care,Maternal Care Patterns,Behavior, Maternal,Behaviors, Maternal,Care Pattern, Maternal,Care Patterns, Maternal,Maternal Behaviors,Maternal Care Pattern,Pattern, Maternal Care,Patterns, Maternal Care
D008807	Mice, Inbred BALB C	An inbred strain of mouse that is widely used in IMMUNOLOGY studies and cancer research.	BALB C Mice, Inbred,BALB C Mouse, Inbred,Inbred BALB C Mice,Inbred BALB C Mouse,Mice, BALB C,Mouse, BALB C,Mouse, Inbred BALB C,BALB C Mice,BALB C Mouse
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D001724	Birth Weight	The mass or quantity of heaviness of an individual at BIRTH. It is expressed by units of pounds or kilograms.	Birthweight,Birth Weights,Birthweights,Weight, Birth,Weights, Birth
D001831	Body Temperature	The measure of the level of heat of a human or animal.	Organ Temperature,Body Temperatures,Organ Temperatures,Temperature, Body,Temperature, Organ,Temperatures, Body,Temperatures, Organ
D001835	Body Weight	The mass or quantity of heaviness of an individual. It is expressed by units of pounds or kilograms.	Body Weights,Weight, Body,Weights, Body
D005260	Female		Females