title: Long-term effects of prenatal stress and diazepam on D2 receptor expression in the nucleus accumbens of adult rats.
abstract: Early life stress during the gestational period alters specific neuronal circuits leading to behavioral alterations later in life. In the present study, we assessed the effects of prenatal stress and repeated benzodiazepine administration on dopamine receptor 2 expression in the nucleus accumbens of adult offspring. Our results show elevated Drd2 expression levels in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) of prenatally stressed rats compared to control subjects, while repeated diazepam administration in adulthood down-regulated Drd2 expression and prevented the effect of prenatal stress. These observations suggest that prenatal stress may induce permanent alterations in the corticolimbic pathway implicated in drug-seeking behavior.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Casablanca, 19 Rue Tarik Bnou Ziad, Casablanca, Morocco. Electronic address: Lakehayli.sara@gmail.com.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lakehayli
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Casablanca, 19 Rue Tarik Bnou Ziad, Casablanca, Morocco.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Said
authors.affiliation: Genetics and Molecular Pathology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Casablanca, 19 Rue Tarik Bnou Ziad, Casablanca, Morocco.
authors.forename: M El
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Khachibi
authors.affiliation: Sultan My Slimane University, Fac Sciences & Tecniques Beni-Mellal, Life Sciences, Morocco.
authors.forename: M El
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Ouahli
authors.affiliation: Genetics and Molecular Pathology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Casablanca, 19 Rue Tarik Bnou Ziad, Casablanca, Morocco.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nadifi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Casablanca, 19 Rue Tarik Bnou Ziad, Casablanca, Morocco.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hakkou
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Casablanca, 19 Rue Tarik Bnou Ziad, Casablanca, Morocco.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tazi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D003975:Diazepam
keywords: Diazepam; Drd2 expression; Mesocorticolimbic pathway; Nucleus accumbens; Prenatal stress