Premium
Does prenatal nicotine exposure alter the brain's response to nicotine in adolescence? A neuroanatomical analysis
Author(s) -
Mychasiuk R.,
Muhammad A.,
Carroll C.,
Kolb B.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
european journal of neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.346
H-Index - 206
eISSN - 1460-9568
pISSN - 0953-816X
DOI - 10.1111/ejn.12245
Subject(s) - offspring , nicotine , prefrontal cortex , nucleus accumbens , dendritic spine , psychology , neuroscience , anterior cingulate cortex , medicine , endocrinology , central nervous system , cognition , pregnancy , biology , hippocampal formation , genetics
This study examined changes in dendritic morphology and spine density in multiple brain regions [Zilles' areas: (i) the C g3 region of the anterior cingulate cortex or the medial prefrontal cortex, layer III ( C g3); (ii) the dorsal agranular insular cortex, layer III ( AID ); (iii) the PAR I region of the parietal cortex, layer III (Par1) and (iv) the nucleus accumbens ( NA c)]of Long–Evans rats following exposure to nicotine prenatally, in late adolescence, or both prenatally and in adolescence. Prenatal nicotine exposure induced enduring changes in neuroanatomical organisation that varied between male and female offspring, with males exhibiting increased dendritic complexity of neurons in AID and NA c whereas females experienced increased dendritic complexity in P ar1 but decreased dendritic complexity of neurons in NA c. Similarly, nicotine given in late adolescence dramatically reorganised neural circuitry of both male and female offspring, with males exhibiting decreased dendritic complexity of neurons in P ar1 and C g3 but increased dendritic complexity in AID , and females exhibiting decreased dendritic complexity in C g3 and NA c but increased complexity in AID . Exposure to nicotine both prenatally and in adolescence produced few neuroanatomical parameters that demonstrated a prenatal experience × adolescent drug administration interaction. Females showed additive effects in P ar1, C g3 and NA c whereas males demonstrated additive effects only in AID . Thus, the timing of nicotine exposure produced differential effects on cerebral organisation in a regionally specific manner.