Behavioral effects of prenatal exposure to nicotine in guinea pigs.

Nicotine (3 mg/kg SC) administered twice daily throughout pregnancy to guinea pigs resulted in offspring that were behaviorally deficient both as neonates and adults. The nicotine-treated offspring showed reduced spontaneous alternation both as neonates and adults. Also, the nicotine-treated offspring were less likely to enter a novel alley as neonates and were deficient on brightness discrimination and reversal as adults.