Stress sensitization during the juvenile period in rodents: Impact of neurotrophins and behavioral flexibility

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Stressors may engender the ‘sensitization’ of neurobiological processes (e.g., neurotransmitter, hormone and growth factors) so that later responses to stressors are markedly exaggerated. As well, ‘cross-sensitization’ effects may occur wherein a stressor augments the later response to a different challenge (e.g., cocaine or immune acting agents). Sensitization effects in rodents can occur at any age, but are especially pronounced if the stressor was initially encountered in early life (first few postnatal days) or during the adolescent (juvenile) period. These sensitization effects have variously been attributed to altered sensitivity of particular receptors in brain, or altered growth factor functioning, some of which may stem from epigenetic changes.