Prenatal exposure to cocaine. II: Effects on open-field activity and cognitive behavior in Sprague-Dawley rats.
Pregnant rats received subcutaneous injections of 15 mg/kg of cocaine twice daily (Cocaine-D), twice daily for two consecutive days at 5-day intervals (Cocaine-I), 0.9% saline (Saline) twice daily, or 1.5 mg/kg amfonelic acid (AFA) daily from gestational days 1-20. Offspring were tested for: rates of spontaneous alteration at postnatal days (PND) 32, 35, 40, and 45; acquisition and retention performance on a water maze task beginning at PND 30 and 60; entrance into and activity in an open-field apparatus at PND 60 and 180. The Cocaine-D offspring were less likely than Control offspring to enter the open field when tested at PND 60. The Cocaine-I offspring were hyperactive in the open-field apparatus when tested at PND 60. The drug treated offspring did not differ from the Saline control animals on all other measures. The failure of the Cocaine-D animals to enter the open field is consistent with neophobic behavior that we have observed before in rats exposed in utero to cocaine.
Johns
J M
JM
Department of Pharmacology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858-4354.
Means
M J
MJ
Anderson
D R
DR
Means
L W
LW
McMillen
B A
BA
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D003042:Cocaine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists; D005260:Female; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D009268:Nalidixic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D009287:Naphthyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D018492:Dopamine Antagonists; D009287:Naphthyridines; D009268:Nalidixic Acid; D003042:Cocaine; C006486:amfonelic acid