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Effect of oral corticosterone administration on locomotor development of neonatal and juvenile rats
G Pavlovska-Teglia1, G Stodulski, L Svendsen
1Department of Pathology and Infectious Diseases, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, UK.
Insights
Exposure to corticosterone, a stress hormone, delayed neuromuscular development and learning in rat pups. Even low levels negatively impact neonatal maturation and adaptive mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Maternal stress during pregnancy can lead to elevated corticosteroid levels in offspring.
- Glucocorticoids play a crucial role in neonatal development and adaptation.
- Understanding the impact of prenatal stress on offspring is vital for developmental health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To simulate elevated corticosteroid levels in rat pups.
- To investigate the effects of corticosterone on neuromuscular development and learning.
- To assess the influence of neonatal corticosterone exposure on locomotor maturation.
Main Methods:
- Rat pups were administered oral corticosterone daily from postnatal day 2 to 15.
- Locomotor performance and learning abilities were evaluated using swimming tests starting on postnatal day 8.
- Control groups received no corticosterone treatment.
Main Results:
- Corticosterone-treated rat pups showed delayed development of locomotor performance compared to controls.
- Despite the delay, the overall locomotor performance was similar between treated and control groups.
- Neonatal exposure to corticosterone, even at low levels, significantly impaired maturation and learning.
Conclusions:
- Elevated corticosterone levels negatively impact neonatal rat pup maturation and learning.
- Prenatal stress-induced glucocorticoid exposure can alter complex neuromuscular adaptive mechanisms.
- Findings suggest potential long-term effects on the development of offspring exposed to maternal stress.
Abstract:
In order to simulate the elevated corticosteroid levels to which offspring of stressed women may be subjected, rat pups were treated daily with two levels of oral corticosterone from the 2nd to the 15th postnatal day. The rat pups were subjected to swimming tests from their 8th postnatal day to examine their neuromuscular development and learning abilities. The locomotor performance of corticosterone-treated groups was similar to that of controls but its development was delayed, which demonstrates that even relatively low levels of corticosterone have a significant negative influence on the maturation and learning ability of neonatal rat pups. This indicates that the glucocorticoid levels to which suckling neonates (for example, children of women suffering from stress) might be exposed could modify the complex integrated neuromuscular adaptive mechanisms involved in normal locomotor development.