title: The effects of chronic prenatal exposure to nicotine on the behavior of guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus).
abstract: Three groups of 15 offspring from guinea pig dams were injected twice daily throughout gestation with one of three doses (0.5, 1.5 or 2.5 mg/kg) of nicotine-hydrogen tartrate. These offspring and 15 saline-exposed offspring were tested on several behavioral measures. Offspring of nicotine-treated dams had significantly lower rates of spontaneous alternation as neonates. The 1.5 and 2.5 mg/kg nicotine-exposed offspring also alternated less at puberty than control offspring and would not enter an unfamiliar stimulus alley that a majority of controls entered. Nicotine offspring, as adults, performed significantly poorer than their controls on errors and trials to criterion on a discrimination and reversal task. Prenatal nicotine treatment resulted in performance deficits on both learned and innate behavioral measures throughout development and adulthood.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Georgia.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Johns
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Walters
authors.forename: L I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Zimmerman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008297:Male; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis
chemical_list: D009538:Nicotine