title: Developmental effects of prenatal cocaine exposure on 5-HT1A receptors in male and female rat offspring.
abstract: Prenatal cocaine exposure results in behavioral abnormalities throughout development in rats, but little is known regarding the biological mechanisms underlying these abnormalities. Pregnant rats received subcutaneous twice-daily injections (1 ml/kg) of normal saline or 15 mg/kg of cocaine hydrochloride throughout gestation (gestation days 1-20). Following delivery, pups were placed with untreated surrogates. Male and female pups were killed on postnatal days 30, 60 or 120 for assessment of 5-HT(1A) receptor development in the forebrain, diencephalon, midbrain and pons using radiolabel immunocytochemistry. Findings revealed gender and age differences in developmental regulation of 5-HT(1A) receptors, indicating that male rats are more susceptible to long-term consequences of prenatal cocaine exposure in comparison to females. This study also demonstrates gender-specific development of serotonin (5-HT(1A)) receptors across postnatal ages, demonstrating a fundamentally different pattern of development of 5-HT(1A) receptors between males and females.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7096, USA. jjohns@med.unc.edu
authors.forename: Josephine M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Johns
authors.forename: Deborah A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Lubin
authors.forename: Jeffrey A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lieberman
authors.forename: Jean M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lauder
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D003042:Cocaine / Q000633:toxicity*; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D044263:Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT1; D012727:Sex Characteristics
chemical_list: D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D044263:Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT1; D003042:Cocaine