Behavioural effects of phenobarbitone. 1. Effects in the offspring of laboratory mice

Phenobarbitone at a concentration of 187.5 mg/l in drinking fluid of breeding mice and their offspring after weaning did not affect gestation period, litter size, litter weight or pup development before weaning, although a slight retardation of weight gain after weaning occurred. This level of phenobarbitone given to mice after weaning did not affect weight gain. The average daily intake of phenobarbitone ranged from 30 to 52 mg/kg body weight depending on age and sex. Behaviour of offspring and mice treated after weaning was examined by ethological analysis of encounters between unfamiliar mice of the same sex and treatment group in a neutral enclosure. After lifelong exposure to phenobarbitone mice at 5 and 15 weeks of age showed an increased amount of scanning and exploration of the unfamiliar cage coupled with a decrease of time spent in immobility. Difference from control levels was more pronounced at 15 than at 5 weeks of age, in part because controls showed more immobility and explored less as they matured. No behavioural changes were detected in mice treated with this level of phenobarbitone after weaning. Lifelong exposure to phenobarbitone did not affect agonistic behaviour in pair-housed males at 30 weeks of age, and under these circumstances no longer stimulated exploration to a significant extent.