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A General Method for Evaluating Deep Brain Stimulation Effects on Intravenous Methamphetamine Self-Administration
Published on: January 22, 2016
Neurobehavioral Effects from Developmental Methamphetamine Exposure
Sarah A Jablonski1, Michael T Williams2, Charles V Vorhees3
1Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave., R-1447, Cincinnati, OH, 45229-3039, USA. sarah.jablonski@cchmc.org.
Insights
Prenatal methamphetamine exposure can harm brain development, leading to cognitive deficits. The timing of exposure is critical, with third-trimester equivalent exposure causing lasting spatial navigation issues in animal models.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Intrauterine methamphetamine exposure is linked to cognitive deficits in children.
- Developmental outcomes in animal models depend on the timing of drug exposure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the impact of developmental methamphetamine exposure on neural circuitry, neurotransmission, and behavior in animal models.
- To analyze how the timing of drug exposure influences neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on animal models of developmental methamphetamine exposure.
- Categorization of findings by type of effect and timing of drug exposure (prenatal, neonatal).
Main Results:
- Third-trimester equivalent methamphetamine exposure causes persistent spatial navigation deficits in rodents.
- Exposure during earlier human equivalent periods (first and second trimesters) does not produce similar deficits.
- Findings highlight the role of specific brain structures (frontal cortex, striatum) and neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin).
Conclusions:
- The timing of prenatal methamphetamine exposure significantly influences neurodevelopmental and behavioral outcomes.
- Developmental neurotoxicity is mediated by alterations in neural circuitry and neurotransmitter systems.
- Understanding these patterns is crucial for addressing the long-term consequences of prenatal drug exposure.
Abstract:
Intrauterine methamphetamine exposure adversely affects the neurofunctional profile of exposed children, leading to a variety of higher order cognitive deficits, such as decreased attention, reduced working-memory capability, behavioral dysregulation, and spatial memory impairments (Kiblawi et al. in J Dev Behav Pediatr 34:31-37, 2013; Piper et al. in Pharmacol Biochem Behav 98:432-439 2011; Roussotte et al. in Neuroimage 54:3067-3075, 2011; Twomey et al. in Am J Orthopsychiatry 83:64-72, 2013). In animal models of developmental methamphetamine, both neuroanatomical and behavioral outcomes critically depend on the timing of methamphetamine administration. Methamphetamine exposure during the third trimester human equivalent period of brain development results in well-defined and persistent wayfinding and spatial navigation deficits in rodents (Vorhees et al. in Neurotoxicol Teratol 27:117-134, 2005, Vorhees et al. in Int J Dev Neurosci 26:599-610, 2008; Vorhees et al. in Int J Dev Neurosci 27:289-298, 2009; Williams et al. in Psychopharmacology (Berl) 168:329-338, 2003b), whereas drug delivery during the first and second trimester equivalents produces no such effect (Acuff-Smith et al. in Neurotoxicol Teratol 18:199-215, 1996; Schutova et al. in Physiol Res 58:741-750, 2009a; Slamberova et al. in Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 380:109-114, 2009, Slamberova et al. in Physiol Res 63:S547-S558, 2014b). In this review, we examine the impact of developmental methamphetamine on emerging neural circuitry, neurotransmission, receptor changes, and behavioral outcomes in animal models. The review is organized by type of effects and timing of drug exposure (prenatal only, pre- and neonatal, and neonatal only). The findings elucidate functional patterns of interconnected brain structures (e.g., frontal cortex and striatum) and neurotransmitters (e.g., dopamine and serotonin) involved in methamphetamine-induced developmental neurotoxicity.
