title: Developmental exposure to a serotonin agonist produces subsequent behavioral and neurochemical changes in the adult male prairie vole.
abstract: Autistic spectrum disorders (ASDs) are classified as pervasive developmental disorders characterized by abnormalities in various cognitive and behavioral functions. Although exact underlying causes are still unknown, nearly 30% of autistic patients show elevated blood levels of serotonin (5-HT) and, therefore, various genetic and environmental factors that are known to elevate 5-HT levels may play a role in the development of ASDs. In the present study, we used the socially monogamous male prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster) as an animal model to examine the effects of perinatal exposure to 5-methoxytryptamine (5-MT), a non-selective serotonin agonist, on subsequent behavioral and neurochemical changes in the brain. 5-MT treated males showed a decrease in affiliation and an increase in anxiety-related behavior, as well as a decrease in the density of 5-HT immunoreactive (ir) fibers in the amygdala and oxytocin-ir and vasopressin-ir cells in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, compared to saline treated controls. These data indicate that exposure to 5-HT during early development can induce abnormalities in various neurochemical systems which, in turn, may underlie deficits in social and anxiety-related behaviors. In addition, these data will help to establish the prairie vole model to study the neurobiological underpinnings of complex neuropsychiatric disorders such as ASDs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA.
authors.forename: Melissa M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zuoxin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D008735:5-Methoxytryptamine / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000378:metabolism; D003411:Arvicolinae; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009448:Neurochemistry; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000633:toxicity*; D012919:Social Behavior
chemical_list: D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin; D012701:Serotonin; D008735:5-Methoxytryptamine