Maternal continuous oral oxycodone self-administration alters pup affective/social communication but not spatial...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Opioid use during pregnancy is increasing, leading to Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS) in infants.
• NOWS presents with short-term irritability and neurological issues, but long-term effects remain largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the long-term consequences of maternal oxycodone self-administration during pregnancy on offspring development.
• To establish and utilize a preclinical rat model for studying prenatal opioid exposure.

Main Methods:

• Developed a rat model where pregnant rats self-administered oxycodone orally.
• Monitored maternal and pup growth, sensory-motor functions, cognitive abilities, and behavioral responses.

Main Results:

• Oxycodone was detected in both mothers and pups, with no significant differences in growth parameters or litter size compared to controls.
• Offspring exposed to oxycodone showed altered ultrasonic vocalizations and withdrawal behaviors, particularly in males, indicating changes in affect and social communication.
• Cognitive functions, including olfactory spatial learning, and sensory-motor behaviors remained unaffected.

Conclusions:

• Maternal oxycodone exposure during pregnancy can lead to sex-dependent alterations in offspring emotional and social behaviors.
• The established preclinical model allows for the study of how maternal opioid use impacts offspring emotional development.
• Cognitive and sensory-motor development appear to be spared from the effects of prenatal oxycodone exposure in this model.