# Cell-type and projection-specific dissection of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis in the mediation of social behavioral deficits induced by early life adversity

> **NIH NIH R15** · SANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY · 2023 · $81,386

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Nearly one percent of children in the US experience childhood abuse or neglect, which can induce life-long
behavioral deficits including social behavior disorders like social anxiety, attachment disorders, difficult peer
relations, and externalizing behaviors. Investigations into the neural mechanisms mediating early life adversity
induced behavioral impairments have largely focused on dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal
(HPA) axis and its release of the stress hormone corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), which accounts for
aspects of altered anxiety and responsiveness to stress induced by early life adversity. However, social
interaction involves coordination between neural circuits promoting reward and circuits inhibiting anxiety, and
thus neural substrates mediating early life adversity-induced social deficits likely extend beyond HPA axis
dysfunction, but this has not been systematically investigated. Our parent grant is designed to address the
extent to which early adversity-induced social deficits are driven by dysfunction in anxiety versus reward
circuits, critical for effectively treating disorders spurred by childhood abuse and neglect. Our lab uses mouse
maternal separation with early weaning (MSEW) to model early life adversity, which robustly reduces social
interaction and increases anxiety-like behavior, recapitulating effects of childhood abuse and neglect. Prior
findings in my and others’ labs have consistently shown that rodent maternal separation procedures adversely
affect females to a greater extent than males. This mirrors the human clinical population, as females exhibit
greater rates of anxiety-related disorders and depression than males. While research for the parent grant
considers sex as an experimental factor, we have devised a study to further examine how exposure to early life
adversity interferes with the development of sexually dimorphic neuronal systems to permanently alter
behavior. Ms. Janet Ronquillo will carry out this experimentation during a post-baccalaureate gap year, during
which she will also follow a rigorous plan to set her up for success in her future career path.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10816152
- **Project number:** 3R15MH127514-01S1
- **Recipient organization:** SANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Lindsay Halladay
- **Activity code:** R15 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $81,386
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2023-07-01 → 2023-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10816152

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10816152, Cell-type and projection-specific dissection of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis in the mediation of social behavioral deficits induced by early life adversity (3R15MH127514-01S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10816152. Licensed CC0.

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