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Birth insult alters dopamine-mediated behavior in a precocial species, the guinea pig. Implications for schizophrenia
1Departments of Psychiatry and of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Douglas Hospital Research Centre,., Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Insights
Mild birth complications, like Caesarean sections, can alter brain dopamine activity and behavior long-term in guinea pigs. These findings suggest potential links to later-life neurological conditions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Behavioral Neuroscience
Background:
- Schizophrenia is linked to birth complications, suggesting impacts on central nervous system (CNS) dopaminergic activity.
- Rat studies show Caesarean section (C-section) birth alters dopaminergic biochemistry and behavior, but rat brains are less mature at birth than human brains.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if mild birth complications affect dopamine-mediated function in guinea pigs, a species with a more mature CNS at birth.
- To determine the long-term behavioral consequences of C-section birth and mild anoxia in guinea pigs.
Main Methods:
- Guinea pigs were born via C-section, with some experiencing additional global anoxia (1 or 2 minutes).
- Adult guinea pigs were tested for amphetamine-induced locomotion and prepulse inhibition (PPI) of acoustic startle.
- Behavioral responses to amphetamine and apomorphine on PPI were assessed across groups.
Main Results:
- Adult guinea pigs born by C-section exhibited increased amphetamine-induced locomotion and disrupted PPI compared to controls.
- C-section with 1 min anoxia led to reduced amphetamine-induced locomotion and disrupted PPI.
- C-section with 2 min anoxia showed no change in amphetamine-induced locomotion but increased amphetamine-induced startle.
- No group differences were found in the effects of amphetamine or apomorphine on PPI.
Conclusions:
- Mild birth complications, including C-section and brief anoxia, induce lasting alterations in dopamine-mediated behaviors in guinea pigs.
- These findings, consistent with rat studies, indicate that birth complications can persistently affect dopamine system function across species with varying brain maturity at birth.
Abstract:
Schizophrenia is associated with increased birth complications, suggesting that birth complications might alter CNS dopaminergic activity later in life. In rats, Caesarean section (C-section) birth can produce long term changes in dopaminergic biochemistry and behavior. However rat brain is somewhat immature compared to human brain at birth. The current study tested if mild birth complications also alter dopamine-mediated function in a species with a more mature CNS at birth, the guinea pig. As adults, guinea pigs born by C-section showed increased amphetamine-induced locomotion and disruption of prepulse inhibition (PPI) of acoustic startle, compared to vaginally born controls. Guinea pigs born by C-section with 1 min of added global anoxia showed reduced amphetamine-induced locomotion and disrupted PPI, while a C-section plus 2 min anoxia group showed no change in amphetamine-induced locomotion but increased amphetamine-induced startle. No group differences in effects of amphetamine or apomorphine on PPI were observed. Taken with previous findings, these results indicate that mild birth complications can cause long term changes in dopamine-mediated behavior in both guinea pig and rat, two species spanning the level of human brain maturity at birth.
