Premium
Clinical problems in perinatal neurobiology
Author(s) -
Yaffe Sumner J.,
Sonawane B.R.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
international journal of developmental neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.761
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1873-474X
pISSN - 0736-5748
DOI - 10.1016/0736-5748(85)90077-2
Subject(s) - citation , library science , medicine , psychology , computer science
Psychoactive agents such as sedatives and tranquilizers represent the major class of drugs prescribed to pregnant women. Historically, effects of these agents on fetal outcome have focused upon their ability to produce gross malformations. We have studied the action of several selected agents upon neuroendocrine differentiation vhen administered prenatally to pregnant rats. Phenobarbital produced profound effects upon reproductive function in both male and female offspring exposed in utero. The onset of puberty was delayed in both sexes and fertility was decreased. Sex steroid hormone concentrations in brain and plasma were altered as a result of drug administration during this critical period of brain differentiation with a permanent defect in programming for reproductive function. Several other agents (phenytoin, methadone, cimetidine) have also been shown to effect perinatal imprinting for sexual and neurobehavioral function. The clinical implications of these findings are profound but admittedly not well studied especially prospectively. Children born to epileptic mothers appear to have altered brain development with associated changes in neurobiological function.