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Subtle biobehavioral effects produced by paternal cocaine exposure.
Catherine E Killinger1, Stacey Robinson, Gregg D Stanwood
1Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA.
Synapse (New York, N.Y.)
|July 19, 2012
Summary
Paternal cocaine exposure in mice led to increased depression-like behavior and decreased body weight in offspring. These findings highlight potential impacts of paternal drug use on offspring development.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Science
- Toxicology
Background:
- Cocaine abuse is more prevalent in males than females.
- The effects of paternal cocaine exposure on offspring development are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of paternal cocaine exposure on the biobehavioral development of male mouse offspring.
- To assess neurobehavioral consequences in F1 generation mice following paternal cocaine administration.
Main Methods:
- Male mice were exposed to cocaine (20 mg/kg) or vehicle for 10 weeks.
- Cocaine-exposed males were used as sires to produce F1 offspring.
- F1 offspring underwent behavioral phenotyping, including the tail suspension test, and body weight measurements.
Main Results:
- Paternal cocaine exposure resulted in a significant increase in immobility in the tail suspension test, indicating behavioral depression.
- Offspring exposed to paternal cocaine exhibited significantly decreased body weight.
- Locomotor activity, anxiety, and learning/memory functions in offspring were not significantly affected.
Conclusions:
- Paternal cocaine exposure can subtly alter offspring biobehavioral development.
- The findings suggest potential alterations in mood regulation brain systems or circuitry in offspring of fathers with a history of cocaine use.
