title: Dose-response effects of prenatal phenytoin exposure in rats: effects on early locomotion, maze learning, and memory as a function of phenytoin-induced circling behavior.
abstract: Pregnant Sprague-Dawley CD rats were administered 0, 100, or 200 mg/kg of phenytoin on days E7-18. Litters were reduced to 12, balancing for sex. Mean (+/- S.E.) maternal serum concentrations of total phenytoin 1 hr after dosing on E18 were 15.1 +/- 3.1 and 20.9 +/- 4.3 micrograms/ml in the PHT-100 and PHT-200 groups, respectively. Determinations of unbound concentrations revealed the drug to be 89% serum protein bound in both phenytoin groups. Maternal phenytoin concentrations in rats are, therefore, comparable to those seen therapeutically in humans with epilepsy. The PHT-200 group had elevated early postnatal mortality, while the PHT-100 group did not differ from controls. Phenytoin induced the typical dose-dependent increase in preweaning square-field locomotor activity. When this effect was compared to a new circular open field it was found that this device clearly distinguished phenytoin's effects. Phenytoin offspring also showed the typical dose-dependent abnormal circling behavior. Phenytoin offspring exhibited large dose-dependent increases in errors in a complex water maze, an effect which persisted even when rats exhibiting abnormal circling were excluded from the analyses. Offspring were also assessed for ability to locate a hidden vs. visible platform in an open swimming tank. Controls and PHT-100 offspring showed large improvements in performance when the hidden platform was made visible, but the PHT-200 offspring did not. Finally, offspring were assessed for working memory in an appetitive radial-arm maze. Both phenytoin groups exhibited impaired performance as measured by the number of reinforcements obtained in the first 8 arms visited.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Institute for Developmental Research, Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinnati OH 45229-2899.
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Weisenburger
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Minck
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Acuff
authors.forename: C V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Vorhees
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004924:Escape Reaction / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000633:toxicity*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D010672:Phenytoin