title: Drugs and chemicals that act on the central nervous system: interpretation of experimental evidence.
abstract: The growing experimental evidence that early developmental exposure to centrally acting drugs (particularly during a period of development defined by the presence of appropriate receptors) can induce persisting neural and functional alterations in the offspring necessitates a careful evaluation of this literature with respect to its relevancy to humans. The experimental evidence suggests that functional alterations will be selective and defined by the neurochemical anatomy of the specific sites upon which the drugs act. Additionally, functional alterations may not be expressed until well into childhood or later. A major problem consequent to prenatal drug exposure may be a difficulty for the organism to meet specific challenges. Such information should guide future clinical investigations.
mesh_terms: D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced / Q000209:etiology*; D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology; D002491:Central Nervous System Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D003975:Diazepam / Q000633:toxicity; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D013723:Teratogens; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002491:Central Nervous System Agents; D013723:Teratogens; D003975:Diazepam