Acquisition of acoustic startle response in relation to growth and thyroid function in rats.
Thiourea was administered by gavage to pregnant and lactating rats from gestational day 18 until postnatal day 10, at doses of 100 or 250 mg per day (approximately 350 or 900 mg/kg/day). From the day after birth until postnatal day 14 the neonates were weighed, and beginning on postnatal day 10 acquisition of acoustic startle reflex was assessed. Serum thyroxine and thyrotropin were measured on postnatal day 14. High dose thiourea severely inhibited thyroid function in pups, significantly depressed body growth, and retarded development of the acoustic startle response. At the low dose there was a significant reduction in growth, but no effect on acquisition of acoustic startle reflex. Low dose pups appeared to be functionally euthyroid (free T4 and thyrotropin were not significantly different from control). In conjunction with other studies, these results strongly suggest that, while development of acoustic startle is dependent upon thyroid hormone, it is not readily affected by retarded body growth.
D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013890:Thiourea; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology*; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*
D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D013890:Thiourea