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Prenatal nicotine exposure increases frequency and duration of apneic events in neonatal rats
Author(s) -
Kidder Ian Jeoffry,
Mudery Jordan Andrew,
Bailey E. Fiona
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.26.1_supplement.1090.7
Subject(s) - nicotine , medicine , respiratory system , anesthesia , sudden infant death syndrome , hypercapnia , pediatrics
Prenatal nicotine exposure (PNE) has a profound effect on respiratory development and is linked to an increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) (DiFranza and Lew, 1995; Kinney et al., 1992). We tested the hypothesis that PNE decreases drive to muscles of the upper airway and increases the incidence and duration of apneic events. Sprague‐Dawley rats were exposed to nicotine (6mg/kg/day) in utero or remained unexposed. At ages 7–10 days, rat pups were anesthetized (inactin, 70mg/kg) and instrumented with fine wire electrodes in the genioglossus muscle of the upper airway and the intercostal muscles of the respiratory pump. Respiratory‐related chest expansion was monitored by a force transducer coupled to the chest wall. Rat pups were placed in a flow‐through chamber while activity was monitored under room air and normoxic hypercapnia (3%, 6%, and 9% F I CO 2 ). Our preliminary results reveal an increase in frequency and duration of apneic events in PNE animals compared to unexposed animals, while upper airway muscle activity remains unaffected. Such findings provide insight into the influence of nicotine on respiratory development in vivo and the potential complications leading to SIDS.