The ultrasonic vocalization (USV) syllable profile during neonatal opioid withdrawal and a kappa opioid receptor component to increased USV emissions in female mice.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

Opioid use during pregnancy can lead to negative infant health outcomes, including neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS). NOWS comprises gastrointestinal, autonomic nervous system, and neurological dysfunction that manifest during spontaneous withdrawal. Variability in NOWS severity necessitates a more individualized treatment approach. Ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) in neonatal mice are emitted in isolation as a stress response and are increased during opioid withdrawal, thus modeling a negative affective state that can be utilized to test new treatments.

Objectives

We sought to identify the behavioral and USV profile, brainstem transcriptomic adaptations, and role of kappa opioid receptors in USVs during neonatal opioid withdrawal.

Methods

We employe

SUBMITTER: Wingfield KK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11775077 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature