title: Prenatal exposure to lamotrigine: effects on postnatal development and behaviour in rat offspring.
abstract: Use of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in pregnancy warrants various side effects and also deleterious effects on fetal development. The present study was carried out to assess the effects of prenatal exposure to lamotrigine (LTG) on postnatal development and behavioural alterations of offspring. Adult male and female Sprague Dawley rats weighing 150-180 g b. wt. were allowed to copulate and pregnancy was confirmed by vaginal cytology. Pregnant rats were treated with LTG (11.5, 23, and 46 mg/kg, p.o) from gestational day 3 (GND 3) and this treatment continued till postnatal day 11 (PND 11). Offspring were separated from their dam on day 21 following parturition. LTG, at 46 mg/kg, p.o, produced severe clinical signs of toxicity leading to death of dam between GND 15 and 17. LTG, at 11.5 and 23 mg/kg, p.o, showed significant alterations in offspring's incisors eruption and vaginal opening when compared to age matched controls. LTG (23 mg/kg, p.o) exposed female offspring expressed hyperactive behaviour and decreased GABA-A receptor expression when compared to control rats. These results reveal that prenatal exposure to LTG may impart differential postnatal behavioural alterations between male and female rats which paves way for further investigations.
authors: Centre for Toxicology and Developmental Research (CEFT), Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600116, India.
authors: Sekar
authors: S
authors: Sathiya
authors: Department of Biochemistry, Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600116, India.
authors: Murugan
authors: M
authors: Ganesh
authors: Centre for Toxicology and Developmental Research (CEFT), Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600116, India.
authors: Periyathambi
authors: P
authors: Kalaivani
authors: Centre for Toxicology and Developmental Research (CEFT), Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600116, India.
authors: Vijayan
authors: V
authors: Ranju
authors: School of Chemical and Biotechnology, Shanmugha Arts, Science, Technology and Research Academy (SASTRA University), Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu 613402, India.
authors: Srinivasan
authors: S
authors: Janani
authors: Centre for Toxicology and Developmental Research (CEFT), Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600116, India.
authors: Bakthavachalam
authors: B
authors: Pramila
authors: Centre for Toxicology and Developmental Research (CEFT), Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600116, India.
authors: Chidambaram
authors: C
authors: Saravana Babu