Age-specific behaviors as tools for examining teratogen-induced neural alterations.
One approach to evaluate the impact of chemical insults during development is to examine teratogen-induced alterations in age-specific behaviors that appear to be modulated by activity of specific neurotransmitter systems. A number of age-specific behaviors appear to be useful candidates for neurobehavioral assessment batteries. During the first postnatal week, mouthing in numerous situations appears to be strongly related to serotonergic activity. Footshock- or pharmacologically-precipitated wall climbing behavior, which is seen specifically during the second postnatal week in rat pups, seems to be related to noradrenergic, and perhaps dopaminergic, activity. The rapid ontogenetic decline in wall climbing seen after the second postnatal week may be in part related to the maturation of a cholinergic inhibitory influence on this behavior pattern. The periadolescent period, an age associated in rats with a number of age-specific alterations in behavior and psychopharmacological responsivity, appears to be associated with age-related alterations in dopaminergic activity. Examination of teratogen-induced alterations in age-specific behaviors such as these may provide useful early markers of the neural substrates potentially affected by early insults.
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000502:physiology; D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology; D013391:Sucking Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D013723:Teratogens / Q000633:toxicity*
D002395:Catecholamines; D013723:Teratogens; D012701:Serotonin; D000109:Acetylcholine