title: Sex differences in anxiety-like behavior and locomotor activity following prenatal and postnatal methamphetamine exposure in adult rats.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of prenatal and postnatal methamphetamine (MA) exposure on behavior and anxiety in adult male and female rats. Mothers were daily exposed to injection of MA (5 mg/kg) or saline (S): prior to impregnation and throughout gestation and lactation periods. On postnatal day 1, pups were cross-fostered so that each mother raised 6 saline-exposed pups and 6 MA-exposed pups. Based on the prenatal and postnatal exposure 4 experimental groups (S/S, S/MA, MA/S, MA/MA) were tested in the Open field (OF) and in the Elevated plus maze (EPM) in adulthood. Locomotion, exploration, immobility and comforting behavior were evaluated in the OF, while anxiety was assessed in the EPM. While prenatal MA exposure did not affect behavior and anxiety in adulthood, postnatal MA exposure (i.e. MA administration to lactating mothers) induced long-term changes. Specifically, adult female rats in diestrus and adult males postnatally exposed to MA via breast milk (S/MA and MA/MA) had decreased locomotion and exploratory behavior in the OF and showed increased anxiety-like behavior in the EPM when compared to female rats in diestrus or males postnatally exposed to saline (S/S and MA/S). In adult females in proestrus, postnatal exposure to MA affected only exploratory behavior in the OF when compared to rats in proestrus postnatally exposed to saline. Thus, the present study shows that postnatal exposure to MA via breast milk impairs behavior in unfamiliar environment and anxiety-like behavior of adult male and female rats more than prenatal MA exposure.
authors: Charles University in Prague, Third Faculty of Medicine, Department of Normal, Pathological and Clinical Physiology, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Hrubá
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Schutová
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Šlamberová
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001007:Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects*; D030762:Estrous Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D046353:Immobility Response, Tonic / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014741:Video Recording
chemical_list: D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; D008694:Methamphetamine