title: Gestational stage-specific effects of retinoic acid exposure in the rat.
abstract: Although, or perhaps because, retinoids are among the earliest known behavioral teratogens, there is still little agreement about the behavioral effects of stage-specific exposure to these compounds. In these studies, pregnant albino rats were gavaged once daily with retinoic acid (RA) for 3 consecutive gestational days (GD), GD 8-10), GD 11-13, or GD 14-16. Dose levels were maximal levels compatible with survival (10, 2.5, or 12.5 mg/kg RA, over GD 8-10, 11-13, and 14-16, respectively). Two studies were conducted. The first assessed the effects of RA exposure on GD 8-10 or 14-16 on regional brain weight and on a large behavioral test battery. The second study assessed the effects of RA exposure on GD 11-13 or GD 14-16 on many of the same variables. Taken together with an earlier study of the behavioral effects of GD 11-13 RA exposure, these studies permit the following conclusions. 1) RA exposure at the above doses at any of the three exposure periods produced an apparent reduction in amphetamine-induced open field activity. 2) RA exposure on GD 14-16 but not earlier produced a robust, replicable rotarod deficit in exposed offspring. 3) RA exposure on GD 11-13, but not earlier or later, increased daytime activity in residential running wheels. 4) RA exposure on GD 11-13 or GD 14-16 but not GD 8-10 reduced weight of cerebellum. 5) No RA effect at any exposure period was seen on maze learning, activity in novel open fields, or on auditory startle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, New Mexico Tech, Socorro 87801, USA. rholson@nmt.edu
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Holson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Ferguson
mesh_terms: D000661:Amphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000187:drug effects; D015259:Dopamine Agents / Q000633:toxicity; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000187:drug effects*; D005865:Gestational Age; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange / Q000187:drug effects; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D015996:Survival Rate; D013723:Teratogens / Q000633:toxicity; D013997:Time Factors; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D015259:Dopamine Agents; D013723:Teratogens; D014212:Tretinoin; D000661:Amphetamine