Nutritive and nonnutritive determinants of milk intake of suckling rats

In order to determine the factors that enhance milk intake during deprivation, albino rats 15, 20, and 25 days of age were subjected, for 8 hr, to one of the following regimens: (1) privation, that is, separation from the dam and food; (2) privation with a maternal, thelectomized female; (3) privation with a maternal female whose nipples had been surgically ligated; (4) separation from the dam and food but receiving three 2% body weight intragastric preloads of milk; (5) with a dam whose nipples had been ligated and receiving the same intragastric preloads as Group 4; and (6) nondeprived rats. Rats were then allowed 45 min to suckle an anesthetized dam that was induced to let down milk every 4 min by intravenous oxytocin infusion. Intake at Day 15 was reduced by the opportunity to suckle, independent of receiving a milk load. This same trend was apparent, although not as strong, among Day 20 rats. By Day 25, nonnutritive suckling during the privation period no longer attenuated milk intake, although preloads did, whether or not they were paired with nonnutritive suckling. Thus, suckling in albino rats becomes increasingly freed from oral demands and more responsive to the nutritive consequences.     

The ontogeny of independent ingestion in mice: Or,why won't infant mice feed?

Unlike infant rats, which show deprivation-related ingestion in several different test situations, infant mice appeared to be relatively unwilling to feed independently of suckling until 12 days of age. We tested mouse pups that were deprived (of food, water, suckling, and maternal care) for 1, 7, or 24 hr in ingestive tests in which a milk diet was spread on the floor of their test container (Experiment 1). Pups at 3, 6, and 9 days of age consumed small amounts of the diet and showed little increase in intake when deprivation was increased. In contrast (and like rat pups of all ages), mouse pups 12 and 15 days of age actively ingested the diet and increased their intake with increased deprivation. Six-day-old mouse pups were similarly unwilling to ingest a 5% sucrose solution, though 12-day-old pups showed deprivation-related intake (Experiment 2). Cellular dehydration (produced by hypertonic saline injection), a potent stimulus for ingestion in infant rats, did not stimulate ingestion in mice younger than 12 days of age (Experiment 3). Finally, when ingestion was tested with diet infusions made through oral cannulas, mouse pups at 6 and 9 days of age showed only a slight increase in intake with increased deprivation. However, by 12 days of age, pups' ingestion increased markedly with deprivation (Experiment 4). Thus, mouse pups seem to be very different from rat pups with respect to the early existence of ingestive systems. The neural substrates for the ingestive responses that subserve independent ingestion are only minimally present in infant mice or are somehow inhibited.     

Increased hypothalamic neuropeptide Y expression in deprived preweanling rats is reversed by intragastric infusion of milk

Lean, preweanling Zucker rat pups increase neuropeptide Y (NPY) expression in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus in response to a 24-h deprivation of food, water, and maternal interaction as early as postnatal day 2 (P2). In this study, we examined if replacing nutritive or tactile aspects of maternal behavior to deprived rat pups could block the increased expression of hypothalamic NPY measured by in situ hybridization. On P2, P12, or P15, littermates were assigned to one of four treatment groups: (1) left with the dam for 24 h, (2) deprived of the dam for 24 h and given tactile stimulation in the form of periodic anogenital stroking to elicit urination and defecation, (3) deprived of the dam and given periodic anogenital stroking plus continuous gastric infusion of milk for 24 h, or (4) deprived of the dam and given periodic anogenital stroking plus continuous infusion of water for 24 h. We found that gastric infusions of milk normalized NPY expression at all three ages, gastric infusions of water did not on P2 and P15, and anogenital stroking alone had no effect. We suggest that the lack of milk is the major cause of increased hypothalamic NPY expression during maternal deprivation in lean Zucker pups.     

Effects of activation of group III metabotropic glutamate receptors on spinal synaptic transmission in a rat model of neuropathic pain

Chronic neuropathic pain remains an unmet clinical problem because it is often resistant to conventional analgesics. Metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) are involved in nociceptive processing at the spinal level, but their functions in neuropathic pain are not fully known. In this study, we investigated the role of group III mGluRs in the control of spinal excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission in a rat model of neuropathic pain induced by L5/L6 spinal nerve ligation. Whole-cell recording of lamina II neurons was performed in spinal cord slices from control and nerve-ligated rats. The baseline amplitude of glutamatergic EPSCs evoked from primary afferents was significantly larger in nerve-injured rats than in control rats. However, the baseline frequency of GABAergic and glycinergic inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) was much lower in nerve-injured rats than in control rats. The group III mGluR agonist l(+)-2-amino-4-phosphonbutyric acid (l-AP4) produced a greater inhibition of the amplitude of monosynaptic and polysynaptic evoked EPSCs in nerve-injured rats than in control rats. l-AP4 inhibited the frequency of miniature EPSCs in 66.7% of neurons in control rats but its inhibitory effect was observed in all neurons tested in nerve-injured rats. Furthermore, l-AP4 similarly inhibited the frequency of GABAergic and glycinergic IPSCs in control and nerve-injured rats. Our study suggests that spinal nerve injury augments glutamatergic input from primary afferents but decreases GABAergic and glycinergic input to spinal dorsal horn neurons. Activation of group III mGluRs attenuates glutamatergic input from primary afferents in nerve-injured rats, which could explain the antinociceptive effect of group III mGluR agonists on neuropathic pain.     

The contribution of ambient temperature to suckling behavior in rats 3–20 days of age

To assess the role of ambient temperature on the expression of adultlike control over suckling behavior of infant rats, preweanling pups were tested for nipple attachment and milk intake while suckling in either room temperature (25°C) or nest temperature (34°C). In one experiment, attachment latency was measured following 0, 4, or 24 hr of deprivation at 3, 6, 9, 12, or 15 days of age. Latency was generally reduced by testing in high ambient temperature. Increasing deprivation reduced latency at all ages. Elevated temperature, however, did not accentuate deprivation-dependent differences. In a 2nd experiment, milk intake via a posterior tongue cannula was measured in pups 5, 10, 15, or 20 days of age, suckling at either room or nest temperature. Environmental temperature did not significantly affect intake at any age. These data eliminate ambient temperature as a critical factor for adultlike control of suckling behavior in infant rats.     

母爱剥夺对子代鼠前额叶皮质c-fos蛋白表达的影响

目的探讨母爱剥夺对子代鼠前额叶皮质c-fos蛋白表达的影响。方法将20只刚出生的仔鼠称重后,随机分为母爱剥夺组(MD)和对照组(N),母爱剥夺组仔鼠与母鼠每天间断隔离4h,对照组母鼠和仔鼠不隔离。第9d、21d称重后处死。用免疫组织化学方法(ABC法)检测前额叶皮质c-fos的表达,图像分析系统测定阳性反应产物的平均灰度值。结果两组仔鼠出生时体重无明显差别,在9d和21d时,母爱剥夺组仔鼠体重显著低于对照组仔鼠(P<0.05)。母爱剥夺9天和21天与相应对照组相比,前额叶皮质c-fos的表达均显著降低(P<0.05)。结论母爱剥夺影响子代鼠生长和c-fos表达。     

The effect of supplementation with fish oil during pregnancy on breast milk immunoglobulin A, soluble CD14, cytokine levels and fatty acid composition

BACKGROUND: Breast milk contains many immunomodulatory factors (soluble CD14 (sCD14), IgA and cytokines) with the potential to influence infant immune development. OBJECTIVE: To determine if changes in breast milk omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) composition as a result of maternal dietary fish oil supplementation during pregnancy can modify levels of these immunological parameters in breast milk. METHOD: In a randomized controlled trial, 83 atopic women received either 4 g fish oil capsules (containing 3.7 g n-3 PUFA) (n = 40) or 4 g olive oil capsules (n = 43) from 20 weeks gestation until delivery. Breast milk was collected 3 days post-partum and fatty acids were analysed by gas liquid chromatography and IgA, sCD14 and cytokines (IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma) were quantitated by ELISA or time resolved fluorescence (TRF). RESULTS: Omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n-3) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5n-3) levels were significantly higher (P < 0.001) in breast milk from women supplemented with fish oil (n = 33, DHA mean 1.15%, SD 0.47% and EPA mean 0.16%, SD 0.07%) than in samples from the control group (n = 40, DHA mean 0.50%, SD 0.17% and EPA mean 0.05%, SD 0.02%). Breast milk arachidonic acid (AA; 20:4n-6) levels were significantly lower (P = 0.045) in the fish oil group (mean 0.55%, SD 0.12%) compared with the control group (mean 0.61%, SD 0.14%). Breast milk IgA was positively correlated with DHA (P = 0.046) and 22:5n-3 (P = 0.003), but inversely correlated with linoleic acid (LA; 18:2n-6) (P=0.034). Levels of sCD14 were also positively correlated with 22:5n-3 (P=0.009). Cytokines involved in IgA synthesis (IL-10 and IL-6) were also significantly correlated with both IgA and n-3 PUFA levels, although there were no differences in the levels of breast milk IgA, sCD14 or cytokines between study groups. CONCLUSION: Supplementation with fish oil during pregnancy significantly alters early post-partum breast milk fatty acid composition. omega-3 PUFA levels were positively associated with IgA and sCD14 levels, suggesting a relationship between fatty acid status and mucosal immune function.     

Schedule and quinine induced deprivation in feeding and refeeding

Twenty female albino rats were adapted to either 0 or 23 hr of food deprivation. Half of each group was then fed 0.125% quinine sulfate adulterated diet for seven days. Following the quinine feeding, ad lib feeding (refeeding) was instituted for 14 days. Several conclusions were drawn from the results: (1) rats on a deprivation schedule fail to show a predicted change to regulation on the basis of taste rather than calories; (2) rats on food deprivation actually increase their relative intake of water; (3) refeeding after a deprivation schedule does not lead to depression of initial intake below normal, but otherwise the process of recovery follows the same course as after total starvation.     

Perinatal exposure to a high NaCl diet increases the NaCl intake of adult rats

To determine the effect of differences in perinatal NaCl exposure on NaCl intake, adult Sprague-Dawley female rats were maintained on diets containing either 0.12, 1.0, or 3% NaCl throughout pregnancy and lactation. The offspring were continued on the these same diets to 30 days postpartum. Thereafter, all offspring were fed the same basal diet containing 1% NaCl. At 90 days of age, the adult offspring were placed in metabolism cages for 7 days and fed 1% NaCl chow for days 1-2, and 0% NaCl chow for days 3-7. On days 6-7, the animals were free to consume both water and 0.3 M NaCl. When dietary NaCl was available, adult rats exposed perinatally to the high NaCl diet excreted significantly more sodium on days 1-2 and 6-7 than did the rats exposed to either the mid or low NaCl diets. There were no differences in sodium excretion during sodium deprivation on days 3-5. The 0.3 M NaCl intake of the high NaCl-exposed rats was also significantly greater than the intake of the mid and low NaCl-exposed rats. In another group of adult rats, exposed perinatally to either a low or high NaCl diet, the spontaneous 24-hr intake of water and 0.3 M NaCl was measured after repeated episodes of acute sodium depletion. Sodium depletion was induced by 48 hr of dietary sodium deprivation combined with a single subcutaneous injection of 5 mg furosemide. Acute sodium depletion was found to augment existing differences in NaCl intake between low and high NaCl-exposed rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Satieties and cross-satieties for three diets in the rat

In food-deprived rats, intake of a 2 M glucose solution is independent of deprivation level. However, subsequent intake of laboratory chow does vary with deprivation, though the immediately-preceding glucose meal did not. If deprivation is severe, the rat may eat as much chow as if the prior glucose meal had not occurred. In the converse case, a preload of chow has no suppressant effect whatever on intake of glucose, at any deprivation level. As with chow, intake of milk after a glucose load varies with food deprivation, even though the preceding intake of glucose did not. In contrast to the chow case, however, there is cross-satiety between milk and glucose in both directions; a meal of either one suppresses subsequent intake of the other. We conclude: (1) Intake of different diets is limited (satiated) by different postingestive mechanisms with different functional properties; some are sensitive to deprivation, others not. (2) Offering a new diet can change the properties of satiety, as if it recruited a new satiety mechanism and disengaged the old one. (3) The interactions among different satiety mechanisms are complex and non-reciprocal. Glucose and milk both contribute to a satiety mechanism that limits intake of both. A glucose preload can augment or accelerate satiety for chow, and thus reduce chow meal size; but the converse is not true. A single state or variable, "satiety" in the abstract, probably does not exist.     

Effect of hepatic portal infusion of water on water intake by water-deprived rats.

To determine whether or not hepatoportal osmoreceptive (or sodium-receptive) signals participate in the control of drinking, we examined the effects of portal infusion of water, 0.9% saline, and 1.8% saline on water intake by water-deprived rats. Infusion was started 0.5 h prior to the end of the water deprivation period for 3.5 h at a rate of 52 microliters/min through either a portal or a jugular catheter. After 24-h water deprivation, water intake was measured successively for 24 h without food. As a result of the water infusion tests, water intake of the portal infusion group was significantly less than that of the jugular infusion group during and after the infusion. Portal infusion of neither 0.9% nor 1.8% saline affected the water intake compared to similar infusion into the jugular vein. It is concluded that hypotonic stimulation of the hepatoportal osmoreceptor suppresses water intake in water-deprived rats. On the contrary, isotonic or hypertonic stimulation does not produce any change of water intake.     

Semax Attenuates the Infl uence of Neonatal Maternal Deprivation on the Behavior of Adolescent White Rats

Maternal deprivation in the early postnatal period significantly affects the behavior and development of different animals. Here we studied delayed effects of daily maternal deprivation (5 h/day) on physical development and behavior of white rats during postnatal days 1 to 14. Here we studied the possibility of reducing the negative consequences of deprivation by daily intranasal treatment with Semax, an analog of ACTH_4-10, in a dose of 0.05 mg/kg from postnatal days 15 to 28. It was found that maternal deprivation decelerated the growth of young rats, boosted physical activity and emotional reactivity in novel environment, and increased anxiety in one-month-old animals. Semax weakened the impact of deprivation on animal body weight and normalized the levels of anxiety in rats.     

Consistency of cholecystokinin satiety effect across deprivation levels and motivational states

A gastrointestinal hormone, cholecystokinin (CCK), has recently been implicated in the regulation of meal size. The consistency of the CCK satiety effect was examined across deprivation levels and motivational states. In a series of experiments rats were food deprived for varying amounts of time and injected with various doses of the CCK octapeptide before consuming a test meal of a liquid diet. In Experiment 1, 20 rats were deprived for 5 or 19 hr and injected with 0, 15, and 40 Ivy dog units/kg (U/kg) of CCK and in Experiment 2, 18 rats were 48 hr deprived and were injected with 0, 40, or 80 U/kg of CCK. In Experiment 3, 12 rats were deprived for 92 hr and received 80 U/kg of CCK. In all experiments CCK produced a dose-related suppression in food intake. CCK did not appear to become less effective as deprivation increased: 15 U/kg suppressed intake by approximately 30% at 5 and 19 hr deprivation; 40 U/kg suppressed intake by approximately 50% at all three deprivation levels; 40 U/kg suppressed intake by approximately 72% at 48 hr deprivation and 66% at 92 hr deprivation. In Experiment 4, the effects of CCK on food consumed in absence of hunger (0 hr deprivation) were observed by administering hypertonic saline to food-sated rats before presentation of a liquid diet. Under these conditions 40 U/kg of CCK suppressed intake by 76%. An additional experiment indicated that the increased inhibitory effects observed in the latter experiment were not due to the added variable of thirst. Thus under a wide variety of deprivation conditions and under varying motivational states CCK is remarkably consistent in its inhibitory effects on food intake, which are best described by a constant percent of control intake.     

The effect of acupuncture on anxiety and neuropeptide Y expression in the basolateral amygdala of maternally separated rats

Recent studies have suggested that maternally deprived rats exhibit anxiogenic-like behavior when exposed to stress in later life. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is involved in the regulation of various physiological functions such as the expression of anxiety. Female Wistar rat pups were separated from their mothers for 3h daily from postnatal days 3 (P3) to 14 (P14). Acupuncture groups were treated with acupuncture at Shenmen (HT7) or Zusanli (ST36) on alternate days from P50 to P62. Their anxiety-like behavior was evaluated using an elevated plus-maze at P62, and then NPY immunohistochemistry in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) was performed. Rats exposed to maternal separation (MS) were less likely to explore the open arms of the plus-maze compared to control rats that were not exposed to MS. Among maternally separated groups, the percentage of time spent in the open arms was significantly increased in the HT7 acupuncture group, but not the ST36 acupuncture group, compared to MS group. In accordance with this behavior, the numbers of NPY-immunoreactive cells in the BLA were lower in the MS group compared to the control group. Among maternally separated groups, the numbers of NPY-immunoreactive cells in the BLA were significantly higher in the HT7 acupuncture group, but not higher in the ST36 acupuncture group, compared to MS group. These findings suggest that acupuncture treatment might reduce anxiety-like behavior in adult rats following maternal separation by modulating the NPY system in the amygdala.     

Sertraline, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, affects thirst, salt appetite and plasma levels of oxytocin and vasopressin in rats

We investigated the effects of chronic administration of sertraline (SERT; approximately 20 mg kg(-1) day(-1) in drinking water), a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, on water and sodium intake and on plasma levels of oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP) in basal and stimulated conditions. Basal water intake was reduced in SERT-treated rats. After 24 h of water deprivation, rats treated with SERT for 21 days ingested less water than the control rats (9.7 +/- 0.5 versus 20.0 +/- 0.9 ml, respectively, at 300 min after water presentation, P < 0.0001). Subcutaneous injection of 2 m NaCl or isoproterenol evoked a lower dipsogenic response in rats treated with SERT for 21 days. Fluid and food deprivation also induced a weaker dipsogenic response in SERT-treated rats (1.6 +/- 0.5 versus 10.2 +/- 1.2 ml, at 300 min, P < 0.0001) but had no effect on saline intake. Sodium depletion induced a higher natriorexigenic response in the SERT group (5.6 +/- 1.3 versus 1.2 +/- 0.3 ml, at 300 min, P < 0.0002). Higher urinary density and lower plasma sodium levels were observed after SERT treatment. Sertraline also increased plasma levels of vasopressin and oxytocin (AVP, 2.65 +/- 0.36 versus 1.31 +/- 0.16 pg ml(-1), P < 0.005; OT, 17.16 +/- 1.06 versus 11.3 +/- 1.03 pg ml(-1), P < 0.0009, at the third week post-treatment). These data constitute the first evidence that chronic SERT treatment affects water and sodium intake in rats. These effects seem to be related to the hyponatraemia caused by the higher plasma levels of AVP and OT.     

Diurnal variation for inhibition of eating by bombesin in the rat

Sprague-Dawley male albino rats ate sweet milk at the midpoint of the day or night phase of a 12:12 light/dark cycle 1 min after IP 0.9% NaCl or synthetic bombesin (BBS; 2-32 micrograms/kg) following 24-hr food deprivation. Exogenous BBS inhibited food intake in a dose-related manner during the day; a linear regression line accounted for 85% of the total variance for percentage suppression of food intake by BBS in 30 min. In contrast, inhibition of eating by BBS at night was not dose-related; a linear regression line accounted for only 16% of the variance. Rats were tested under identical conditions following 3-hr food deprivation. Exogenous BBS (4-64 micrograms/kg) inhibited food intake in a dose-related manner at night; a linear regression line accounted for 92% of the total variance. In contrast, inhibition of eating by BBS during the day was not as orderly; a linear regression line accounted for only 44% of the variance. The 8 micrograms/kg dose was twice as potent for inhibition of eating of 25% GIBCO 116EC liquid diet than it was for inhibition of eating sweet milk at the midpoint of the day phase. These results describe diurnal variation in potency of exogenous BBS for inhibition of food intake in the rat. Whether BBS is more or less potent at night than during the day depends upon the particular dose, degree of hunger of the rat, and probably the type of food being eaten.     

Liver ornithine decarboxylase activity in suckling pigs after short term maternal deprivation

Two female piglets from each of 23 litters were used to determine the effect of short term maternal deprivation on liver ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity at 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31 days of age. Data on body weight, liver weight and plasma glucose, catecholamine and growth hormone concentrations were also recorded. Liver ODC activity declined (P less than .01) with increasing age and was reduced (P less than .0001) at each age compared with control values after maternal deprivation for 16 h. Liver weight and plasma glucose were reduced (P less than .01) by maternal deprivation, while plasma catecholamines were unchanged and plasma growth hormone tended to be reduced, although the difference between means for deprived and control animals was not significant (P greater than .05). The design of the experiment did not permit separation of the relative contributions of sensory deprivation versus food deprivation of piglets in inducing the decline in liver ODC activity. The results indicate that maternal deprivation causes a marked decrease in liver ODC activity in neonatal swine as shown previously in neonatal rats (Schanberg et al., 1984).     

Role of superior laryngeal nerve and Fos staining following dehydration and rehydration in the rat

Immunohistochemistry for Fos was used to determine the role of the superior laryngeal nerve in conscious rats following water deprivation and rehydration. Adult male rats were subjected to either unilateral superior laryngeal nerve section (SLNX) or sham surgery. Two weeks later rats from each surgical group were water deprived for 48 h or water deprived for 46 h and given access to water for 2 h prior to perfusion. Controls were allowed ad libitum access to water. Brains were processed for Fos using a commercially available antibody. Changes in plasma osmolality and hematocrit were not significantly different between SLNX and sham following any of the treatments. Water intake in rats was not significantly affected by SLNX. In the supraoptic nucleus (SON) of sham rats, water deprivation significantly increased Fos staining while water intake following dehydration prevented this increase. Water deprivation significantly increased Fos staining in the SON of SLNX rats. Following water intake after 46 h water deprivation in SLNX rats, Fos staining in the ipsilateral SON was significantly greater than the contralateral SON and significantly lower than 48 h water deprivation. In the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) of sham rats, both water deprivation and water intake produced significant increases in Fos staining bilaterally compared to euhydrated controls. In SLNX rats, water deprivation significantly increased Fos in both ipsilateral and contralateral NTS that was not different from sham rats. SLNX significantly decreased Fos staining in the ipsilateral NTS of rats given access to water after dehydration compared to the corresponding sham treated rats. Fos staining was not affected in the contralateral NTS of SLNX rats given access to water after dehydration. This suggests that the superior laryngeal nerve contributes to changes in Fos staining in the NTS and SON following water intake in dehydrated rats.     

坐骨神经分支选择性损伤模型L4～6背根神经节水平不同时间点P2X3mRNA表达变化

目的观察坐骨神经分支选择性损伤(SNI)动物制作型模后不同时间点L4~6背根神经节(DRG)水平P2X3mRNA的表达情况,探讨外周P2X3mRNA在神经病理性痛模型不同阶段中的作用。方法 54只健康雄性SD大鼠完全随机分为空白对照(control)组、假手术(sham surgery)组和手术(surgery)组。通过结扎腓总神经及切断胫神经,保留腓肠神经的方法建立SNI模型。动态观察造模前、造模后1d、3d、7d和14d双侧足跖机械痛阈;Real-time PCR法检测患侧造模后3d、7d和14d L4~6 DRG水平P2X3mRNA表达情况。结果模型制作后各时间点,surgery组大鼠患侧足跖痛阈明显降低(P0.05),sham surgery组大鼠与control组比较差异无显著性(P0.05);各组大鼠健侧足跖痛阈于模型制作后各时间点均无显著变化(P0.05)。模型制作后3d、7d,surgery组大鼠L4、L5、L6 DRG水平P2X3mRNA表达均有不同程度的提高(P0.05);而模型制作后14d,surgery组大鼠L5、L6DRG水平P2X3mRNA表达明显减少(P0.05),L4 DRG水平P2X3mRNA表达仍显著多于sham surgery组(P0.05)。模型制作后各时间点、各DRG水平,sham surgery组和surgery组大鼠P2X3mRNA表达差异均无显著性(P0.05)。结论外周P2X3mRNA参与SNI模型疼痛的产生和维持,且其在不同阶段发挥的作用不同。     

Maternal and nutritional contributions to infant rats' activational responses to ingestion

Infant rats deprived of food, maternal care, and the opportunity to suckle display a dramatic behavioral activation and vigorously ingest when provided milk through oral cannulas. These experiments assessed which components of deprivation are important in producing these responses to milk. Nutritional deprivation alone, with or without the presence of an active maternal female, appears to be sufficient to produce ingestion. Behavioral activation, on the other hand, appears to require both nutritional deprivation and deprivation from a maternal female. The effect of maternal stimulation on later behavioral reactivity was not a function of the pups' opportunity to suckle. However, active maternal stimulation was more effective in preventing activation than was passive maternal stimulation (e.g., thermotactile and olfactory stimulation). Stimulation provided by an active, nonlactating mother was effective in preventing behavioral activation, but the effect was short-lived, lasting only 2 hr after the pup was removed from the mother's care. This series of studies thus reveals that identified components of maternal separation have dissociable effects on appetitively motivated behaviors in infant rats.