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Learning and Memory Performance in a Rat Model of Perigestational Opioid Exposure
Meghan E Vogt1, Anne Z Murphy1
1Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, 100 Piedmont Ave Se., Atlanta, GA 30303.
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|December 22, 2025
Summary
Gestational opioid exposure impairs spatial and associative learning in adolescent rats. Environmental enrichment partially rescued these cognitive deficits in males, suggesting potential interventions for developmental effects.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Opioid prescriptions are common for women of reproductive age, with significant rates during pregnancy.
- Gestational opioid exposure leads to neurodevelopmental impairments and learning disabilities in children.
- A rat model was developed to study the effects of perigestational opioid exposure on brain development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the impact of exogenous opioid exposure during brain development on learning and memory.
- To assess cognitive performance in male and female offspring following perigestational morphine exposure.
- To evaluate the efficacy of environmental enrichment in mitigating opioid-induced neurodevelopmental deficits.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a rat model with morphine exposure initiated before pregnancy and continued through the first postnatal week.
- Assessed adolescent male and female offspring on spatial learning (Barnes Maze) and associative learning (Attentional Set Shift Task).
- Investigated the effect of environmental enrichment on cognitive performance in offspring exposed to morphine during gestation.
Main Results:
- Morphine exposure selectively impaired spatial and associative learning in adolescent offspring.
- Working and short-term memory were not significantly impacted by gestational opioid exposure.
- Environmental enrichment rescued spatial learning deficits in males but not in females.
Conclusions:
- Gestational opioid exposure impairs complex cognitive functions, specifically spatial and associative learning.
- Non-invasive interventions like environmental enrichment may attenuate some cognitive deficits.
- Findings highlight the lasting neurodevelopmental consequences of prenatal opioid exposure and potential therapeutic avenues.
Keywords:
Attentional Set ShiftBarnes MazeEnvironment EnrichmentGestational Opioid UseObject Location TaskSpontaneous Alternation TaskMore Related Videos
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