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Updated: Jan 16, 2026

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
Paternal periconceptional exposure to reserpine and antidepressants causes developmental abnormalities and ADHD-like
Yehua Bao1, Yiwei Du1, Jiayi Zhang1
1College of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.
Abstract:
A growing body of research indicates that paternal exposure to adverse environments can result in genetic toxicity in the offspring. Nevertheless, the consequences of paternal preconception exposure to reserpine or antidepressant medications (venlafaxine alone, crocin alone, or a combination of venlafaxine and crocin) on offspring health remain uninvestigated. The present study elucidates the effects of paternal preconception in a depressed state or exposure to antidepressants on offspring development and motor behavior. In this study, a deep learning Twin Network was employed to accurately stage F1 generation embryos and objectively quantify the developmental tempo. EmbryoNet was employed to predict developmental abnormalities signals (shh, nodal, bmp) in the F1 generation embryos, those associated with the dopamine pathway. Furthermore, dopamine is linked to motor behavior. The behavioral results suggest the presence of ADHD-like behaviors in the F1 generation of paternally exposed reserpine. It is generally accepted that genotoxicity is usually accompanied by ROS production. In conclusion, the deep learning approach employed in this study allows for the early prediction of abnormal signals and early screening and diagnosis. This study makes a valuable contribution to the safety assessment of antidepressant drugs, providing a cautionary role for the intake of antidepressants and paternal inheritance.

