title: Neurobehavioral changes produced in rats by prenatal exposure to carbon monoxide.
abstract: Wistar female rats were exposed to relatively mild concentrations of carbon monoxide (75 and 150 ppm) from day 0 to day 20 of pregnancy. The results show that prenatal exposure to CO (150 ppm) produced a significant reduction in the minimum frequency of ultrasonic calls emitted by rat pups removed from their nest. Moreover, a significant decrease in the responsiveness (rate of calling) to a challenge dose of diazepam (0.25 mg/kg) was found in male pups exposed to CO (150 ppm) during gestation. Prenatal CO (75 and 150 ppm) did not significantly affect locomotor activity or D-amphetamine-induced hyperactivity in both 14- and 21-day-old animals. Furthermore, adult male rats exposed to this chemical (150 ppm) during gestation exhibited significant alterations in the acquisition of an active avoidance task. CO-induced learning disruption does not seem to be linked to changes in the emotionality of animals. These findings suggest that gestational exposure to CO induces in rat offspring both short- and long-term behavioral changes characterized by altered ontogeny of emotional responsiveness to environmental challenges and by learning impairment.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacology, University of Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Giovanni
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cagiano
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: De Salvia
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giustino
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lacomba
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Renna
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cuomo
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000633:toxicity*; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014465:Ultrasonics; D014828:Vocalization, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D002248:Carbon Monoxide