Claire-Dominique Walker Lab

The Claire-Dominique Walker Lab investigates the critical relationship between mother and infant, focusing on the reciprocal regulation of stress responsiveness in both, and the long-term neurophysiological and behavioral impacts of early environmental stressors on offspring. The lab explores how non-genomic maternal influences, such as nutrition and maternal care during the early postnatal period, lead to molecular changes in the central nervous system, modifying stress responsiveness and coping mechanisms.

Current research examines the consequences of early exposure to high-fat diets on the development of reward pathways and food preference in offspring, investigating the role of metabolic hormones like leptin, ghrelin, and insulin. The lab also defines the role of endocannabinoids in establishing vulnerability to stress during development. Furthermore, the research explores how infant stimulation profoundly affects maternal state, particularly the stress hyporesponsiveness observed in lactating and breastfeeding mothers. Studies aim to identify neuronal structures forming a "salience filter network" in the maternal brain, which could be associated with postpartum depression, and assess breastfeeding as a protective factor against exaggerated stress responses in both mother and offspring.

Dr. Walker's broader research interests encompass the long-term consequences of early stress and environmental challenges on brain development and adult vulnerability to pathologies. Her work specifically examines how maternal nutrition and endocannabinoids modify neuronal pathways regulating stress responses and reward systems in offspring, contributing to susceptibility to mood disorders and metabolic diseases. The lab also utilizes animal models of neonatal pain to investigate long-term effects on pain sensitivity, behavior, and brain morphology.