Maternal stress and paw preference in a wild subterranean rodent

Maternal stress is known to influence neurodevelopmental trajectories in offspring, potentially affecting lateralized behaviours. In this study, we investigated the effect of pre- and postnatal maternal stress on paw preference in Ctenomys talarum, a wild subterranean rodent species that exhibits behavioural lateralization while feeding. Pregnant and lactating females were exposed to predatory stress and offspring later evaluated for paw use while manipulating food items. Similar to previous work, most offspring displayed a significant left-paw preference for carrying the food items. Results of analysis showed that maternal stress changes the relative distribution of paw use during feeding, slightly increasing the proportion of use of the right paw to take food to the mouth. This study contributes to the emerging body of evidence linking stress to modifications in lateralized behaviour and highlights C. talarum as a valuable wild model for investigating the ecological and neurobiological implications of developmental stress and behavioural asymmetries.