Changes in adaptability following perinatal morphine exposure in juvenile and adult rats
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1
Institute of Experimental Medicine, Department of Behavioral Neurobiology, Hungary
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2
Semmelweis University, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Hungary
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health 10.8% of all expectant mothers used an illicit drug at least once during their pregnancy in the United States in 2006. The number of new borns in-utero exposed to drugs of abuse is increasing from year to year. Because of its importance the aim of the present study was to examine the consequences of long term maternal morphine (Mo) exposure in offspring at different postnatal ages.
Pregnant rats from the day of mating were treated daily with Mo (on the first two days 5 mg/kg sc. than 10 mg/kg) until the 21st postpartum day (PD), when the offspring was separated. Offspring of female rats treated with physiological saline served as control. Here we demonstrate the results of male offspring. Locomotor activity, behaviour in the elevated plus maze (EPM; anxiety) and forced swimming test (FST; depression) as well as adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and corticosterone (CS) hormone levels were measured at PD 23-25 and at adult age.
There was a tendency for spending less time in the open arms of the EPM in Mo treated rats at both (juvenile and adult) age, demonstrating mild anxiogenic impact of perinatal exposure with Mo. Number of closed arm entries (overall activity) did not differ. In response to a 5 min FST Mo exposed animals spent considerable longer time with floating and shorter time with struggling at both (juvenile and adult) ages expressing signs of depression-like behavior. Prenatal Mo exposure induced a hypoactivity of the stress axis (ACTH and CS elevations) to strong stimulus (FST).
We may conclude that perinatal Mo exposure induces long term depression-like changes with mild anxiogenic effect. At the same time adaptability to stress is decreased. These findings together with other previously reported cognitive and behavioral alterations caused by maternal drug abuse make the individual harder to adapt himself to the society.
This study was supported by Hungarian grants OTKA NN71629 and ETT-441/2006.
Conference:
IBRO International Workshop 2010, Pécs, Hungary, 21 Jan - 23 Jan, 2010.
Presentation Type:
Poster Presentation
Topic:
Homeostatic and neuroendocrine systems
Citation:
Klausz
B,
Pintér
O,
Tímár
J,
Sobor
M and
Zelena
D
(2010). Changes in adaptability following perinatal morphine exposure in juvenile and adult rats.
Front. Neurosci.
Conference Abstract:
IBRO International Workshop 2010.
doi: 10.3389/conf.fnins.2010.10.00101
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Received:
23 Apr 2010;
Published Online:
23 Apr 2010.
*
Correspondence:
Barbara Klausz, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Department of Behavioral Neurobiology, Budapest, Hungary, klausz@koki.hu