Effects of prenatal amphetamine exposure on the development of behavior in rats.

Female rats, maintained on 20 ml water per day, were treated with either 0, 2 or 5 mg/kg/day d-amphetamine sulfate mixed with their drinking water. Treatment was started 30 days prior to mating and continued to parturition of litters. Differences in weight gain during pregnancy were noted for the drug treated mothers, with the differences disappearing after drug treatment was stopped. Turnover latencies at 1 and 3 days of age, eye opening, and vaginal opening were delayed in the offspring of drug treated females. Drugged animals were slower than controls in a behavioral test of bridge crossing at 14 days postpartum. No differences in open field activity were noted.