Postnatal neurobehavioral development in rats exposed in utero to caffeine

Potential behavioral and teratogenic effects of caffeine were studied in Charles River CD albino rats. Caffeine in distilled water was given by gavage to pregnant rats (dams) at doses of 5, 25, 50 or 75 mg/kg on Days 3-19 of gestation. Concurrent controls received distilled water gavage (10 ml/kg) on the same days. Dams were allowed to deliver normally. Physical and behavioral observations were made on dams during gestation and lactation and on F1 offspring through 9 weeks of age. Caffeine decreased body weights and food intake and increased water intake in gestating dams but these effects dissipated during lactation. Spontaneous locomotor activity (PAC) and open field (OF) were increased immediately after caffeine gavage but not before. Parturition was slightly delayed. With analyses of data based on individual pups the following effects were noted. Pre- and post-weaning offspring body weights were decreased in females at 50 and 75 mg/kg and in males at 75 mg/kg. Incisor eruption was delayed in females at 5, 50 and 75 mg/kg and in males at all doses. Auditory startle developed earlier in the 5 mg/kg dose group but was delayed at 75 mg/kg for males only. Eye opening was delayed in both sexes at 25, 50 and 75 mg/kg. In females, vaginal opening was delayed at 5, 25 and 75 mg/kg and 9-week ovary weights were increased at 75 mg/kg. In postweaning males, food intake was decreased and water intake was increased with increasing dose. In males, PAC was decreased at 75 mg/kg only on Day 12. At 7 weeks of age, step-down passive avoidance was decreased at 5 and 25 mg/kg but increased at 50 and 75 mg/kg, and at 8 weeks of age, shuttlebox active avoidance was decreased with increasing dose. Maternal and offspring behaviors were only weakly correlated. Correction for litter effect in developmental data yielded fewer significant results and only at 50 and 75 mg/kg. The issue of whether it is always appropriate to correct for "litter effect" is discussed.