title: Postnatal caffeine exposure: effects on motor skills and locomotor activity during ontogenesis.
abstract: It has been shown that long-term postnatal caffeine treatment results in biochemical and behavioral changes persisting into adulthood. The effects of postnatal chronic exposure to this methylxanthine on motor skills and locomotor activity were studied with a battery of motor and behavioral tests (negative geotaxis test, wire mesh ascending test, jumping down with a choice test, bar holding test, rotarod test and open field test) in rats during development. Pup rats were daily injected with caffeine (10 mg/kg or 20 mg/kg, s.c.) during postnatal days 7-11 (the P7 group) and/or 13-17 (the P13 group). Motor impairments occurred in 15-, 18- and 21-day-old rats treated with caffeine at P7-P11, whereas, pups exposed to caffeine from P13 to P17 exhibited worse performance only in the bar holding test at the age of 18 days. The P7 group was hyperactive in an open field during the whole period of testing. In contrast, the P13 group showed a decrease of motor activity at postnatal days 25 and 32. In conclusion, postnatal treatment of rats with caffeine leads to impairments of motor skills and changes in locomotor activity. The results are dependent at the developmental stages at caffeine administration as well as at age when tests are performed.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Psychopharmacology, Institute of Physiology, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Bl. 23, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia 1113, Bulgaria. jane_tch@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tchekalarova
authors.forename: Hana
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kubova
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mares
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D019957:Motor Skills Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D045442:Rotarod Performance Test / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D002110:Caffeine