Prenatal corticosterone treatment induces long-term changes in spontaneous and apomorphine-mediated motor activity in male and female rats
Section snippets
Animals
Thirty nulliparus pregnant Sprague–Dawley rats (300 g body weight) with a defined day of fertilization were obtained from B and K (Sollentuna, Sweden). Birth normally occurs on day 22 of gestation. On the day of arrival (day 12 of pregnancy), the animals were housed individually in type IV Macrolon® and randomly assigned to placebo or corticosterone groups. They were kept in a temperature- and humidity-controlled room under a regular day and night cycle (lights on at 06.00 and off at 18.00) with
Plasma corticosterone levels in the dams
On the morning of delivery, we found plasma corticosterone levels of 4.1±1 μg/100 ml (means±S.E.M.) in the placebo-treated group (n=6) and 9.9±1.6 μg/100 ml in the corticosterone-treated (n=3) rats maintained under minimal stress conditions. Thus, the corticosterone pellets used doubled (P<0.05) the amount of morning plasma corticosterone levels in the dams.
Characterization of the behavioural model
The experimental model consisted of two recording periods: (i) recording of spontaneous motor activity (60 min) and (ii) recording of drug
Discussion
The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of prenatal corticosterone exposure on a functional postsynaptic DA receptor response in both prepubertal and adult male and female rats. The model consisted of a continuous administration of corticosterone via a pellet implanted in the pregnant dam during the last trimester of gestation. The corticosterone pellet used raises maternal plasma corticosterone to levels comparable to the ones observed during mild stress (for further
Conclusions
In summary, continuous exposure to corticosterone (leading to a two fold increase in plasma corticosterone) via pellets to pregnant dams resulted in sex-dependent alterations in spontaneous and apomorphine-induced motor activity in prepubertal and adult offspring. The apomorphine results may suggest long-lasting reductions in DA receptor sensitivity and/or in the cellular/and motor network mechanisms controlled by DA receptors that are in part age and sex-dependent. The effects of prenatal
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