Prenatal ethanol exposure: effects on androgen and nonandrogen dependent behaviors and on gonadal development in male rats.
Prenatal exposure to alcohol may impair gonadal and behavioral development in male rats, possibly via reduction of perinatal androgenization. We examined locomotor activity on postnatal day 18 (PND 18), which is not influenced by perinatal androgens and juvenile play and testicular development (testes weight), which are dependent on perinatal androgen exposure, in rats whose dams consumed ethanol during pregnancy. Male offspring of pair-fed and lab chow-fed dams served as controls. Despite reduced anogenital distance at birth, indicating compromised perinatal androgenization, fetal ethanol-exposed males did not exhibit demasculinization of play behavior. Hyperactivity in fetal ethanol-exposed males indicated that the treatment regimen was sufficient to produce behavioral deficits. Testes weight was reduced in both ethanol-exposed and pair-fed offspring, indicating that nutritional deficits associated with maternal ethanol intake may impair normal gonadal development in male rats. The findings suggest that fetal ethanol exposure may influence gonadal development but not necessarily affect a gonadal hormone-dependent behavior.
Blanchard
B A
BA
Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia 65212.
Hannigan
J H
JH
D000728:Androgens / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D012919:Social Behavior; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology
D000728:Androgens; D000431:Ethanol; D013739:Testosterone