title: Effects of exposure of pregnant mice to chlordiazepoxide (CDP) on the development and ultrasound production of their offspring.
abstract: 1. The effects were studied of injecting pregnant Alderley Park mice with the benzodiazepine agonist chlordiazepoxide (CDP) at doses of 10 and 30 mg/kg during the last 9-10 days of gestation on the early behaviour and development of their offspring. 2. All neonates were fostered to non-treated lactating dams to eliminate maternally-mediated effects. 3. Early development and responses to anxiety-related situations were studied by recording body growth, righting reflex, rooting behaviour, cliff avoidance reflex and ultrasonic "distress" calling. 4. Drug treatment: (a) retarded postnatal body growth; (b) delayed the righting and cliff avoidance reflexes; (c) augmented rooting behaviour and (d) produced an overall increase in ultrasonic calling (but with the higher dose decreasing emission on days 1-2). 5. Exposure to CDP during foetal life retards motor development and physical maturation; produces a sedative/anxiolytic action (especially at high doses) and may modify the sensitivity of GABA-BZP receptor complex to endogenous receptor ligands.
authors.affiliation: Biological Sciences, University College of Swansea, U.K.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kurishingal
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Palanza
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Brain
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001827:Body Height / Q000187:drug effects*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002707:Chlordiazepoxide / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012018:Reflex / Q000187:drug effects; D014465:Ultrasonics; D014828:Vocalization, Animal / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D002707:Chlordiazepoxide