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Repeated morphine administration during pregnancy attenuates maternal behavior.
R Slamberová1, B Szilágyi, I Vathy
1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue Ull 111, Bronx, NY10461, USA. rslamber@aecom.yu.edu
Psychoneuroendocrinology
|June 19, 2001
Summary
Repeated morphine exposure during pregnancy in rats reduced maternal behaviors like nursing and pup retrieval. It also increased non-maternal activities, impacting mother-pup interactions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Science
- Reproductive Biology
Background:
- Opioid exposure during pregnancy can affect maternal care.
- Understanding the impact of morphine on maternal behavior is crucial for prenatal care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of repeated morphine administration during late pregnancy on maternal behavior in rats.
- To assess changes in nursing, pup retrieval, and other maternal activities.
Main Methods:
- Rats received daily morphine or saline injections from gestational days 11-18.
- Maternal behaviors were observed during lactation (Experiment 1) and pup retrieval tests (Experiment 2).
- Activity, nursing positions, and pup retrieval latencies were recorded.
Main Results:
- Morphine-treated mothers showed decreased nursing and active maternal behavior, with increased self-care and sniffing.
- Pup retrieval was slower in morphine-treated mothers, though initial retrieval latency was unaffected.
- Maternal behavior was higher during light phases, while non-maternal activities increased during dark phases.
Conclusions:
- Morphine administration during the latter half of pregnancy attenuates key components of maternal behavior in rats.
- Opioid exposure in late gestation leads to increased non-maternal activities and impaired pup care.
- These findings highlight potential risks of opioid use during pregnancy on maternal responsivity.