The two-hit stress model predicts that exposure to stress at two different time-points in life may increase or decrease the risk of developing stress-related disorders later in life. Most studies... Show moreThe two-hit stress model predicts that exposure to stress at two different time-points in life may increase or decrease the risk of developing stress-related disorders later in life. Most studies based on the two-hit stress model have investigated early postnatal stress as the first hit with adult stress as the second hit. Adolescence, however, represents another highly sensitive developmental window during which exposure to stressful events may affect programming outcomes following exposure to stress in adulthood. Here, we discuss the programming effects of different types of stressors (social and nonsocial) occurring during adolescence (first hit) and how such stressors affect the responsiveness toward an additional stressor occurring during adulthood (second hit) in rodents. We then provide a comprehensive overview of the potential mechanisms underlying interindividual and sex differences in the resilience/susceptibility to developing stress-related disorders later in life when stress is experienced in two different life stages. Show less
Hooper, S.B.; Pas, A.B. te; Polglase, G.R.; Wyckoff, M. 2018
Ethiopian wolves are endangered diurnal Afroalpine rodent hunters. I investigated the interaction between wolves, rodents and human land use in Borena Sayint National Park (BSNP), Abune Yosef and... Show moreEthiopian wolves are endangered diurnal Afroalpine rodent hunters. I investigated the interaction between wolves, rodents and human land use in Borena Sayint National Park (BSNP), Abune Yosef and Aboi Gara in Ethiopia. I applied scat analysis, interview, questionnaire and rodent-trapping survey methods. In BSNP 94.6% of wolf diet was made up of rodents, medium- sized mammals and others, while only 5.4% comprised livestock. Of all prey 79.2% were diurnal rodents. However, livestock presence indicated predation, which is damaging to livelihoods and perceptions to wolves. Rodent density across BSNP was higher in ungrazed land uses than grazed land and correlated positively to vegetation cover and negatively to livestock presence. In Abune Yosef 80% of local people benefited from natural resources but also suffered from predation by wolves and jackals. However, 66% reported positive attitude towards wolves and 71% recognised ecosystem protection. In Aboi Gara, I assessed extent of predation on small stock, its economic impact, and how it affects attitude towards wolf. Of 140 pastoralists, 70 losing 1.2 head of small stock to wolves and jackals over a year, this represents a loss of 10% herd size, or USD 92 per household. However, 62.1% of pastoralists had positive attitude towards wolves. Show less