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Effect of phenobarbitone administration to pregnant rats on anxiety in offsprings
K P Singh1, M Singh, A K Jaiswal
1Department of Anatomy, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.
Insights
Prenatal exposure to phenobarbitone in rats resulted in lasting anxiety-like behaviors. Offspring showed increased exploration and fear responses, indicating developmental neurotoxicity.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Prenatal exposure to certain medications can impact offspring neurodevelopment.
- Phenobarbitone is a commonly used sedative and anticonvulsant with potential developmental effects.
- Understanding the long-term behavioral consequences of prenatal drug exposure is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the long-term effects of prenatal phenobarbitone exposure on anxiety-like behaviors in adult rats.
- To assess the impact of phenobarbitone during critical neural development periods.
Main Methods:
- Pregnant rats were administered phenobarbitone (10 mg/kg, i.p.) or vehicle from gestational day 13 to 21.
- Offspring were evaluated at 8-9 weeks of age using behavioral tests: open-field, elevated plus-maze, and elevated zero-maze.
- Behavioral parameters included ambulation, rearing, self-grooming, fecal droppings, time on arms, and head dips.
Main Results:
- Prenatal phenobarbitone exposure led to significantly increased ambulation and rearing in the open-field test.
- Offspring spent less time on open arms and more time/entries in enclosed arms of the elevated plus-maze.
- Reduced time on open arms, fewer head dips, and stretched-attend postures were observed in the elevated zero-maze, indicating increased anxiety.
Conclusions:
- Prenatal phenobarbitone exposure induces persistent anxiety-like behaviors in adult rat offspring.
- This suggests phenobarbitone can disrupt normal neural development, leading to long-term behavioral alterations.
- The findings highlight potential risks associated with maternal phenobarbitone use during pregnancy.
Abstract:
Adults Charles-Foster rats were prenatally treated to phenobarbitone (10 mg/kg, i.p.) from day 13 to 21 of gestation, this being the critical period of neural development. Pregnant control rats were similarly treated with equal volume of vehicle. Adult rat offsprings at 8-9 weeks of age were subjected to open-field exploratory behaviour, elevated plus-maze and elevated zero-maze tests. The rat offsprings displayed significantly increased ambulation and rearings in an open-field arena when compared to control offsprings whereas self-grooming and faecal droppings remain unchanged. On elevated plus-maze test these prenatally treated rat offsprings spent significantly less time on open arms and more time and more number of entries in enclosed arms as compared to controls. Prenatally exposed rats also showed significant less time on open arms, less number of head dips and stretched attend postures on elevated zero-maze test indicating increased anxiogenic behavioural pattern in these animals. The results suggest that prenatal exposure to phenobarbitone leaves a lasting effect on the anxiety state of the offsprings.