No trans-generational maternal effects of early-life corticosterone exposure on neophobia and antipredator behaviour in the house sparrow

Conditions experienced during early development can lead to profound long-lasting changes in physiology and behaviour. The extent to which such “programming” effects are transmitted to the next generation remains largely unexplored. Here, we assessed whether maternal exposure to elevated corticosterone stress hormone during early post-natal development had an impact on neophobia and antipredator behaviour in the offspring. Our data showed that maternal early-life hormonal manipulation had no impact on offspring behavioural traits. This occurred despite the treatment associated changes to metabolism, physiology and behaviour of the study mothers up until adulthood, as previously reported.