Impaired maternal behaviour and altered central serotonergic activity in the adult offspring of chronically ethanol treated dams.
Female rats were given 16% ethanol solution as the sole liquid during the entire period of gestation. At birth the offspring was removed and reared by foster dams consuming normal tap water. At adult age the female offspring showed deficiencies in their maternal behaviour; they built nests of poor quality and they displayed prolonged times for retrieving pups placed outside the nest. In the whole brains of the prenatally ethanol-exposed females a decreased serotonin synthesis was observed. The offspring of the prenatally ethanol exposed mothers did not show any signs of disturbances in physical or behavioural development.
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000187:drug effects*; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012701:Serotonin / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D012701:Serotonin; D000431:Ethanol