A cross-fostering analysis of the effects of PCB 77 on the maternal behavior of rats

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are environmental contaminants known to cause multiple behavioral and developmental problems in humans and animals. In rats, gestational exposure to the PCB congener 3, 4, 3', 4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (PCB 77) affects the brain and behavior of the offspring as well as the maternal behavior of the dams. Whether the behavior of dams is affected by direct effects of the contaminant or indirectly by actions of the PCB on the developing offspring is not known. We investigated this question using a cross-fostering paradigm in which pregnant rats were exposed to either oil vehicle or 2 mg/kg of PCB 77 on gestational days 6 through 18, and then raised pups that had been exposed to either oil or PCB 77 during gestation. Maternal behavior was observed on postnatal days 1, 2, 4 and 6. Some of the effects on maternal behavior, including an increase in the frequency of nursing bouts and in the amount of maternal autogrooming, can be ascribed to prenatal exposure of the litters to the PCB. Other behavioral effects, including an increase in time on the nest and in the amount of pup grooming as well as a reduction in high-crouch nursing, appear to be due to both direct effects of the PCB on the dams and effects mediated by changes in the offspring. Our results show that exposure to PCB 77 can have complex effects on the behavioral interactions between the dams and their litters with a potential impact on the development of the offspring.