Nazeri Masoud, Ebrahimi Arezoo, Aghaei Iraj, Ghotbi Ravandi Samaneh, Shabani Mohammad
Department of Oral Medicine and Chronic Headache and Facial Pain Clinic, School of Dentistry, Kerman, IranUniversity of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Neuroscience Research Center, Neuropharmacology Institute, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
EXCLI J. 2017 Jun 19;16:903-913. doi: 10.17179/excli2016-685. eCollection 2017.
Prenatal stress could have great influence on development of offspring and might alter cognitive function and other physiological processes of children. The current study was conducted to study the effect of physical or psychological prenatal stress on addictive and anxiety-like behavior of male and female offspring during their adolescence period (postnatal day (PND) 40). Adult female rats were exposed to physical (swimming) or psychological (observing another female rat swimming) stress from day six of gestation for 10 days. Male and female offspring were assayed for anxiety-like behavior, motor and balance function and morphine conditioned place preference using the open field, elevated plus maze (EPM), rotarod and wire grip assay and conditioned place preference. Offspring in both physical and psychological prenatal stress groups demonstrated significant increase in anxiety-like behavior in EPM paradigm, but no alterations were observed in motor and balance function of animals. Offspring in the psychological prenatal stress group had an increased preference for morphine in comparison to control and physical prenatal stress groups. Results of the current study demonstrated that animals exposed to psychological stress during fetal development are at a higher risk of developing addictive behaviors. Further research might elucidate the exact mechanisms involved to provide better preventive and therapeutic interventions.
产前应激可能对后代的发育产生重大影响，并可能改变儿童的认知功能和其他生理过程。本研究旨在探讨产前身体应激或心理应激对雄性和雌性后代青春期（出生后第40天）成瘾行为和焦虑样行为的影响。成年雌性大鼠从妊娠第6天开始接受身体应激（游泳）或心理应激（观察另一只雌性大鼠游泳），持续10天。使用旷场试验、高架十字迷宫（EPM）、转棒试验和握力试验以及条件性位置偏爱试验，对雄性和雌性后代的焦虑样行为、运动和平衡功能以及吗啡条件性位置偏爱进行检测。身体应激和心理应激产前组的后代在EPM范式中焦虑样行为显著增加，但动物的运动和平衡功能未观察到改变。与对照组和身体应激产前组相比，心理应激产前组的后代对吗啡的偏爱增加。本研究结果表明，在胎儿发育期间暴露于心理应激的动物有成瘾行为的更高风险。进一步的研究可能会阐明其中的确切机制，以提供更好的预防和治疗干预措施。
