Abstract
Mouse litter variation at weaning stems from a combination of genetic makeup, intrauterine experience, and postnatal maternal care. The 1st 2 factors may be matched at birth by making up separate litters out of littermate pairs whose birth weights are equal (± .02 g). Maternal competence may be matched by exchanging the mothers between the 2 cages each day. These tactices yield litters at weaning whose variability has been very much reduced. The range of litter‐average body weights has been reduced from about 40% to about 5% and the range of litter‐average brain weights has been reduced from about 15% to about 1‐2%.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 575-577 |
Number of pages | 3 |
Journal | Developmental Psychobiology |
Volume | 10 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Nov 1977 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Behavioral Neuroscience