Prenatal opiate exposure impairs radial arm maze performance and reduces levels of BDNF precursor following training.

ABSTRACT: Prenatal exposure to opiates, which is invariably followed by postnatal withdrawal, can affect cognitive performance. To further characterize these effects, we examined radial 8-arm maze performance and expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in male rats prenatally exposed to the opiate l-alpha-acetylmethadol (LAAM). Female rats received 1.0 mg/kg/day LAAM or water via daily oral gavage for 28 days prior to breeding, during breeding, and throughout pregnancy. Pups were fostered to non-treated lactating dams at birth and underwent neonatal opiate withdrawal. At 5-6 months, prenatal water- and LAAM-exposed males (n=6 each; non-littermates) received radial arm maze training consisting of ten trials a day for five days and three retention trials on day six. Rats prenatally expo

SUBMITTER: Schrott LM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2696491 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature