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Workshop 2: Labeled nicotine binding in brain
Author(s) -
Sershen Henry
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)90153-4
Subject(s) - neurochemistry , citation , library science , center (category theory) , cognitive science , neuroscience , psychology , computer science , neurology , chemistry , crystallography
The normal post-natal developmental increase of catecholamine-specific enzyme activity in both adrenal medulla and superior cervical ganglion (SCG) is regulated transsynaptically by transmission at nicotinic synapses. To investigate the effects of fetal nicotine exposure on the post-natal development of the ANS, pregnant rats were treated daily during gestation with 1-2 mg/kg nicotine, which is known to cross the placenta. Saline-treated rats served as controls. Pups exposed to nicotine throughout gestation had significantly lower weights at birth and throughout the developmental period. In the neonatal adrenal medulla, enzyme activity of both phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT) and tyrosine hydroxylase (T-OH) were significantly depressed, though deficits in INMT activity had returned to normal after the first post-natal week. By contrast, T-OH and INMT activity in the SCG was normal at all post-natal ages examined. Choline acetyltransferase activity, measured as an index of preganglionic terminal maturation in the SCG, was also normal in tie neonate. To test the effect of pre-natal nicotine exposure on adult ANS responsiveness, animals exposed to nicotine during gestation were treated with nicotine as adults. Control animals showed an expected 42% increase in ganglionic T-OH activity. However, the adult response to nicotine was lacking in animals exposed pre-natally to nicotine.