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Early Postnatal Diazepam Treatment of Rats and Neuroimmunocompetence in Adulthood and Senescence a
Author(s) -
BENEŠOVÁ OLGA,
TEJKALOVÁ HANA,
KRIŠTOFIKOVÁ ZDENA,
KLASCHKA JAN,
DOSTÁL MIROSLAV
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1994.tb12076.x
Subject(s) - estrous cycle , medicine , diazepam , striatum , endocrinology , monoamine neurotransmitter , physiology , serotonin , dopamine , anesthesia , receptor
Functional teratogenic risk of perinatal diazepam (D) treatment was studied in animal model experiments using early postnatal D administration in rats (single dose of 10 mg/kg sc in 7-day-old pups) and long-term follow-up till the age of 18 months with monitoring of behavior, reproductive functions, brain biochemical variables, and immune system reactivity. Behavioral tests carried out at the age of 6, 12, and 18 months indicated higher emotionality and deviations of novelty reaction in D rats in comparison with controls, and these differences decreased with aging. However, no deficits were found in memory testing. D rats revealed some transitional alterations of monoamine neurotransmission in the hypothalamus (5-HT) and striatum (DA) and minor defects in reproductive functions (irregular estrous cycles in females). Significant depression of immune response in D rats persisting for the whole life may be considered as a serious risk of neonatal D treatment.