Early life adversity (ELA) is a predisposing factor for the development of behavioral and emotional disorders later in life. In humans, primates and rodents, interruption in the mother–infant relationships, and disorganized maternal care negatively influence appropriate behavioral responses and may cause cognitive deficits. Epidemiological studies suggest that ELA‐induced behavioral alterations can be transmitted across generations. In this study, we investigated the cognitive abilities of male and female rats in the second filial (F2) generations whose mother, father, or both of their parents were undergoing a 180 min/day maternal separation (MS) paradigm during infancy (postnatal day (PND) 1‐21). Cognitive abilities (in the open field, Morris water maze, and social interaction task) of F2 pups were tested during adolescence. Our results showed that although the mother‐MS group of both sexes showed normal cognitive behavior, father‐MS female pups showed more anxiety in the open field, and social interaction and spatial memory impaired in this group. These impairments were not pronounced in every detail in father‐MS male pups. Moreover, rat pups that both parents experienced MS during infancy, showed normal cognitive behavior. Our data support the idea that MS‐induced cognitive impairments could be transmitted across generations. Considerably, the experiences of one's parents could be inherited in the following generation in a sex‐dependent manner.

中文翻译：

---

母体分离对青春期大鼠认知能力的代际影响

早年生活逆境 (ELA) 是晚年发生行为和情绪障碍的诱发因素。在人类、灵长类动物和啮齿动物中，母婴关系的中断以及母婴护理的混乱会对适当的行为反应产生负面影响，并可能导致认知缺陷。流行病学研究表明，ELA 引起的行为改变可以跨代传播。在这项研究中，我们调查了第二代（F2）雄性和雌性大鼠的认知能力，其母亲、父亲或父母双方在婴儿期（出生后一天）经历了 180 分钟/天的母体分离（MS）范式。 (PND) 1-21)。在青春期测试 F2 幼崽的认知能力（在开放领域、莫里斯水迷宫和社会互动任务）。我们的研究结果表明，虽然母-MS组的两性认知行为正常，但父-MS雌性幼崽在野外表现出更多的焦虑，该组的社交互动和空间记忆受损。在父亲-MS 雄性幼崽中，这些损伤并非在每个细节上都明显。此外，父母双方在婴儿时期都经历过 MS 的幼鼠表现出正常的认知行为。我们的数据支持 MS 引起的认知障碍可以跨代传播的观点。相当多的是，一个人父母的经历可以以性别依赖的方式遗传给下一代。在父亲-MS 雄性幼崽中，这些损伤并非在每个细节上都明显。此外，父母双方在婴儿时期都经历过 MS 的幼鼠表现出正常的认知行为。我们的数据支持 MS 引起的认知障碍可以跨代传播的观点。相当多的是，一个人父母的经历可以以性别依赖的方式遗传给下一代。在父亲-MS 雄性幼崽中，这些损伤并非在每个细节上都明显。此外，父母双方在婴儿时期都经历过 MS 的幼鼠表现出正常的认知行为。我们的数据支持 MS 引起的认知障碍可以跨代传播的观点。相当多的是，一个人父母的经历可以以性别依赖的方式遗传给下一代。