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Dow-Edwards D, Iijima M, Stephenson S, Jackson A, Weedon J. The effects of prenatal cocaine, post-weaning housing and sex on conditioned place preference in adolescent rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2014; 231:1543-55. [PMID: 24435324 PMCID: PMC4237584 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-013-3418-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2013] [Accepted: 12/18/2013] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Gestational exposure to cocaine now affects several million people including adolescents and young adults. Whether prenatal drug exposures alter an individual's tendency to take and/or abuse drugs is still a matter of debate. OBJECTIVES This study sought to answer the question "Does prenatal exposure to cocaine, in a dose-response fashion, alter the rewarding effects of cocaine using a conditioned place preference (CPP) procedure during adolescence in the rat?" Further, we wanted to assess the possible sex differences and the role of being raised in an enriched versus impoverished environment. METHODS Virgin female Sprague-Dawley rats were dosed daily with cocaine at 30 mg/kg (C30), 60 mg/kg (C60), or vehicle intragastrically prior to mating and throughout gestation. Pups were culled, fostered and, on postnatal day (PND) 23, placed into isolation cages or enriched cages with three same-sex littermates and stimulus objects. On PND43-47, CPP was determined across a range of cocaine doses. RESULTS C30 exposure increased sensitivity to the rewarding effects of cocaine in adolescent males, and being raised in an enriched environment further enhanced this effect. Rats exposed to C60 resembled the controls in cocaine CPP. Overall, females were modestly affected by prenatal cocaine and enrichment. CONCLUSIONS These data support the unique sensitivity of males to the effects of gestational cocaine, that moderate prenatal cocaine doses produce greater effects on developing reward circuits than high doses and that housing condition interacts with prenatal treatment and sex such that enrichment increases cocaine CPP mostly in adolescent males prenatally exposed to moderate cocaine doses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Dow-Edwards
- Department of Physiology/Pharmacology, Box 29, State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, 450 Clarkson Ave, Brooklyn, NY, 11203, USA,
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McMurray MS, Zeskind PS, Meiners SM, Garber KA, Tien H, Johns JM. Effect of prenatal cocaine on early postnatal thermoregulation and ultrasonic vocalization production. Front Psychol 2013; 4:882. [PMID: 24324452 PMCID: PMC3840503 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2013] [Accepted: 11/05/2013] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal cocaine exposure can alter the postnatal care received by rat pups. Such effects could be caused in part by alterations in pup-produced stimuli that elicit early postnatal maternal care. Pup ultrasonic vocalizations are thought to be a particularly salient stimulus, and when paired with other cues, may elicit maternal attention. Cocaine is known to acutely alter thermoregulatory and cardiac function, thus prenatal cocaine may affect vocalizations through altering these functions. The data presented here determine the impact of full term prenatal cocaine exposure, saline exposure, or no exposure on thermogenic capacity, cardiac function, and the resulting ultrasonic vocalizations across the early postnatal period (days 1–5). Results indicated that while sharing many similar characteristics with saline-exposed and untreated animals, prenatal cocaine exposure was associated with specific alterations in vocalization characteristics on postnatal day 1 (PND 1), including call amplitude. Furthermore, numerous spectral parameters of their vocalizations were found altered on PND 3, including rate, call duration, and frequency, while no alterations were found on PND 5. Additionally, cocaine-exposed pups also showed a reduced thermoregulatory capacity compared to saline animals and reduced cardiac mass compared to untreated animals on PND 5. Together, these findings indicate that prenatal cocaine may be altering the elicitation of maternal care through its impact on vocalizations and thermoregulation, and suggests a potential mechanism for these effects through cocaine's impact on developing stress systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S McMurray
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL, USA
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Richardson GA, Larkby C, Goldschmidt L, Day NL. Adolescent initiation of drug use: effects of prenatal cocaine exposure. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2013; 52:37-46. [PMID: 23265632 PMCID: PMC3530145 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2012.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2012] [Revised: 10/10/2012] [Accepted: 10/18/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the direct effects of prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE) on adolescent drug use, while controlling for other predictors of adolescent use. METHOD Data are from a longitudinal study of PCE in which women and their offspring were assessed throughout childhood. Adolescents were interviewed at 15 years about their age at initiation of alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco. The sample consisted of 214 adolescents and their caregivers: 50% was of white ethnicity, and 50% African American. RESULTS First trimester cocaine exposure significantly predicted earlier adolescent marijuana and alcohol initiation. The hazard of marijuana and alcohol initiation among exposed adolescents was almost two times greater than among nonexposed adolescents, adjusting for other significant factors. There were no differences in tobacco initiation. Other significant predictors of adolescent drug use were family history of alcohol problems, exposure to violence, and childhood maltreatment. CONCLUSIONS Cocaine exposure during early pregnancy was associated with initiation of marijuana and alcohol use. Exposure to violence, childhood maltreatment, and familial factors also predicted adolescent initiation, but did not mitigate the effects of PCE. The combination of these risk factors has significant implications for the development of later substance use, social, and psychiatric problems.
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Tropea TF, Kabir ZD, Kaur G, Rajadhyaksha AM, Kosofsky BE. Enhanced dopamine D1 and BDNF signaling in the adult dorsal striatum but not nucleus accumbens of prenatal cocaine treated mice. Front Psychiatry 2011; 2:67. [PMID: 22162970 PMCID: PMC3232639 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2011.00067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2011] [Accepted: 11/12/2011] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous work from our group and others utilizing animal models have demonstrated long-lasting structural and functional alterations in the meso-cortico-striatal dopamine pathway following prenatal cocaine (PCOC) treatment. We have shown that PCOC treatment results in augmented D1-induced cyclic AMP (cAMP) and cocaine-induced immediate-early gene expression in the striatum of adult mice. In this study we further examined basal as well as cocaine or D1-induced activation of a set of molecules known to be mediators of neuronal plasticity following psychostimulant treatment, with emphasis in the dorsal striatum (Str) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) of adult mice exposed to cocaine in utero. Basally, in the Str of PCOC treated mice there were significantly higher levels of (1) CREB and Ser133 P-CREB (2) Thr34 P-DARPP-32 and (3) GluA1 and Ser 845 P-GluA1 when compared to prenatal saline (PSAL) treated mice. In the NAc there were significantly higher basal levels of (1) CREB and Ser133 P-CREB, (2) Thr202/Tyr204 P-ERK2, and (3) Ser845 P-GluA1. Following acute administration of cocaine (15 mg/kg, i.p.) or D1 agonist (SKF 82958; 1 mg/kg, i.p.) there were significantly higher levels of Ser133 P-CREB, Thr34 P-DARPP-32, and Thr202/Tyr204 P-ERK2 in the Str that were evident in all animals tested. However, these cocaine-induced increases in phosphorylation were significantly augmented in PCOC mice compared to PSAL mice. In sharp contrast to the observations in the Str, in the NAc, acute administration of cocaine or D1 agonist significantly increased P-CREB and P-ERK2 in PSAL mice, a response that was not evident in PCOC mice. Examination of Ser 845 P-GluA1 revealed that cocaine or D1 agonist significantly increased levels in PSAL mice, but significantly decreased levels in the PCOC mice in both the Str and NAc. We also examined changes in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Our studies revealed significantly higher levels of the BDNF precursor, pro-BDNF, and one of its receptors, TrkB in the Str of PCOC mice compared to PSAL mice. These results suggest a persistent up-regulation of molecules critical to D1 and BDNF signaling in the Str of adult mice exposed to cocaine in utero. These molecular adaptations may underlie components of the behavioral deficits evident in exposed animals and a subset of exposed humans, and may represent a therapeutic target for ameliorating aspects of the PCOC-induced phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas F. Tropea
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medical CollegeNew York, NY, USA
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of New EnglandBiddeford, ME, USA
| | - Zeeba D. Kabir
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medical CollegeNew York, NY, USA
- Graduate Program in Neurosciences, Weill Cornell Medical CollegeNew York, NY, USA
| | - Gagandeep Kaur
- School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New JerseyNew Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Anjali M. Rajadhyaksha
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medical CollegeNew York, NY, USA
- Graduate Program in Neurosciences, Weill Cornell Medical CollegeNew York, NY, USA
| | - Barry E. Kosofsky
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medical CollegeNew York, NY, USA
- Graduate Program in Neurosciences, Weill Cornell Medical CollegeNew York, NY, USA
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Williams SK, Lauder JM, Johns JM. Prenatal Cocaine Disrupts Serotonin Signaling-Dependent Behaviors: Implications for Sex Differences, Early Stress and Prenatal SSRI Exposure. Curr Neuropharmacol 2011; 9:478-511. [PMID: 22379462 PMCID: PMC3151602 DOI: 10.2174/157015911796557957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2010] [Revised: 12/31/2010] [Accepted: 01/07/2011] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenatal cocaine (PC) exposure negatively impacts the developing nervous system, including numerous changes in serotonergic signaling. Cocaine, a competitive antagonist of the serotonin transporter, similar to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), also blocks dopamine and norepinephrine transporters, leaving the direct mechanism through which cocaine disrupts the developing serotonin system unclear. In order to understand the role of the serotonin transporter in cocaine's effect on the serotonergic system, we compare reports concerning PC and prenatal antidepressant exposure and conclude that PC exposure affects many facets of serotonergic signaling (serotonin levels, receptors, transporters) and that these effects differ significantly from what is observed following prenatal SSRI exposure. Alterations in serotonergic signaling are dependent on timing of exposure, test regimens, and sex. Following PC exposure, behavioral disturbances are observed in attention, emotional behavior and stress response, aggression, social behavior, communication, and like changes in serotonergic signaling, these effects depend on sex, age and developmental exposure. Vulnerability to the effects of PC exposure can be mediated by several factors, including allelic variance in serotonergic signaling genes, being male (although fewer studies have investigated female offspring), and experiencing the adverse early environments that are commonly coincident with maternal drug use. Early environmental stress results in disruptions in serotonergic signaling analogous to those observed with PC exposure and these may interact to produce greater behavioral effects observed in children of drug-abusing mothers. We conclude that based on past evidence, future studies should put a greater emphasis on including females and monitoring environmental factors when studying the impact of PC exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah K Williams
- Curriculum in Neurobiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Jean M Lauder
- Curriculum in Neurobiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Josephine M Johns
- Curriculum in Neurobiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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Abstract
One clue regarding the basis of cocaine-induced deficits in attentional processing is provided by the clinical findings of changes in the infants' startle response; observations buttressed by neurophysiological evidence of alterations in brainstem transmission time. Using the IV route of administration and doses that mimic the peak arterial levels of cocaine use in humans, the present study examined the effects of prenatal cocaine on auditory information processing via tests of the auditory startle response (ASR), habituation, and prepulse inhibition (PPI) in the offspring. Nulliparous Long-Evans female rats, implanted with an IV access port prior to breeding, were administered saline, 0.5, 1.0, or 3.0 mg/kg/injection of cocaine HCL (COC) from gestation day (GD) 8-20 (1×/day-GD8-14, 2×/day-GD15-20). COC had no significant effects on maternal/litter parameters or growth of the offspring. At 18-20 days of age, one male and one female, randomly selected from each litter displayed an increased ASR (>30% for males at 1.0 mg/kg and >30% for females at 3.0 mg/kg). When reassessed in adulthood (D90-100), a linear dose-response increase was noted on response amplitude. At both test ages, within-session habituation was retarded by prenatal cocaine treatment. Testing the females in diestrus vs. estrus did not alter the results. Prenatal cocaine altered the PPI response function across interstimulus interval and induced significant sex-dependent changes in response latency. Idazoxan, an α(2)-adrenergic receptor antagonist, significantly enhanced the ASR, but less enhancement was noted with increasing doses of prenatal cocaine. Thus, in utero exposure to cocaine, when delivered via a protocol designed to capture prominent features of recreational usage, causes persistent, if not permanent, alterations in auditory information processing, and suggests dysfunction of the central noradrenergic circuitry modulating, if not mediating, these responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles F. Mactutus
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, University of South CarolinaColumbia, SC, USA
| | - Steven B. Harrod
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, University of South CarolinaColumbia, SC, USA
| | - Lauren L. Hord
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, University of South CarolinaColumbia, SC, USA
| | - Landhing M. Moran
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, University of South CarolinaColumbia, SC, USA
| | - Rosemarie M. Booze
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, University of South CarolinaColumbia, SC, USA
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Hamilton LR, Czoty PW, Nader MA. Behavioral characterization of adult male and female rhesus monkeys exposed to cocaine throughout gestation. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2011; 213:799-808. [PMID: 20959969 PMCID: PMC3033984 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-010-2038-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2010] [Accepted: 09/26/2010] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE In utero cocaine exposure has been associated with alterations in the dopamine (DA) system in monkeys. However, the behavioral outcomes of prenatal cocaine exposure in adulthood are poorly understood. OBJECTIVES To assess several behavioral measures in 14-year-old rhesus monkeys exposed to cocaine in utero and controls (n = 10 per group). MATERIALS AND METHODS For these studies, two unconditioned behavioral tasks, novel object reactivity and locomotor activity, and two conditioned behavioral tasks, response extinction and delay discounting, were examined. In addition, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were analyzed for concentrations of the monoamine metabolites homovanillic acid (HVA) and 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA). RESULTS No differences in CSF concentrations of 5-HIAA and HVA, latencies to touch a novel object or locomotor activity measures were observed between groups or sexes. However, prenatally cocaine-exposed monkeys required a significantly greater number of sessions to reach criteria for extinction of food-reinforced behavior than control monkeys. On the delay-discounting task, male prenatally cocaine-exposed monkeys switched preference from the larger reinforcer to the smaller one at shorter delay values than male control monkeys; no differences were observed in females. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that prenatal cocaine exposure results in long-term neurobehavioral deficits that are influenced by sex of the individual.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey R Hamilton
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, 546 NRC, Medical Center Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1083, USA
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Sobrian SK, Holson RR. Social behavior of offspring following prenatal cocaine exposure in rodents: a comparison with prenatal alcohol. Front Psychiatry 2011; 2:66. [PMID: 22144967 PMCID: PMC3227113 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2011.00066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2011] [Accepted: 11/11/2011] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical and experimental reports suggest that prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE) alters the offsprings' social interactions with caregivers and conspecifics. Children exposed to prenatal cocaine show deficits in caregiver attachment and play behavior. In animal models, a developmental pattern of effects that range from deficits in play and social interaction during adolescence, to aggressive reactions during competition in adulthood is seen. This review will focus primarily on the effects of PCE on social behaviors involving conspecifics in animal models. Social relationships are critical to the developing organism; maternally directed interactions are necessary for initial survival. Juvenile rats deprived of play behavior, one of the earliest forms of non-mother directed social behaviors in rodents, show deficits in learning tasks and sexual competence. Social behavior is inherently complex. Because the emergence of appropriate social skills involves the interplay between various conceptual and biological facets of behavior and social information, it may be a particularly sensitive measure of prenatal insult. The social behavior surveyed include social interactions, play behavior/fighting, scent marking, and aggressive behavior in the offspring, as well as aspects of maternal behavior. The goal is to determine if there is a consensus of results in the literature with respect to PCE and social behaviors, and to discuss discrepant findings in terms of exposure models, the paradigms, and dependent variables, as well as housing conditions, and the sex and age of the offspring at testing. As there is increasing evidence that deficits in social behavior may be sequelae of developmental exposure alcohol, we compare changes in social behaviors reported for prenatal alcohol with those reported for prenatal cocaine. Shortcomings in the both literatures are identified and addressed in an effort to improve the translational value of future experimentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonya K Sobrian
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Howard University Washington, DC, USA
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Hamilton LR, Czoty PW, Gage HD, Nader MA. Characterization of the dopamine receptor system in adult rhesus monkeys exposed to cocaine throughout gestation. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2010; 210:481-8. [PMID: 20401746 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-010-1847-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2010] [Accepted: 03/23/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Cocaine use during pregnancy is associated with alterations in the dopamine (DA) system in the fetal brain. However, little is known about the effects of prenatal cocaine exposure on the postnatal dopaminergic system. OBJECTIVES The objective of the study was to examine DA receptor function in adult monkeys that were prenatally exposed to cocaine. MATERIALS AND METHODS Male and female rhesus monkeys (approximately 13 years old) that had been prenatally exposed to cocaine (n = 10) and controls (n = 10) were used in all studies. First, DA D2-like receptor availability was assessed using positron emission tomography and the D2-like receptor radiotracer [(18)F]fluoroclebopride (FCP). Next, D(3) receptor function was assessed by measuring quinpirole-induced yawning (0.03-0.3 mg/kg). Finally, D1-like receptor function was examined by measuring eye blinking elicited by the high-efficacy D1-like receptor agonist SKF81297 (0.3-3.0 mg/kg). RESULTS There were no differences between groups or sexes in D2-like receptor availability in the caudate nucleus, putamen or amygdala. However, quinpirole elicited significantly more yawns in prenatally cocaine-exposed monkeys compared with control monkeys. A significant correlation between gestational dose of cocaine and peak effects of quinpirole was observed. In all monkeys, administration of SKF81297 elicited dose-dependent increases in eye blinks that did not differ between groups. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that prenatal cocaine exposure can have long-term effects on DA D(3) receptor function in adults.
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Bada HS, Langer J, Twomey J, Bursi C, Lagasse L, Bauer CR, Shankaran S, Lester BM, Higgins R, Maza PL. Importance of stability of early living arrangements on behavior outcomes of children with and without prenatal drug exposure. J Dev Behav Pediatr 2008; 29:173-82. [PMID: 18349707 PMCID: PMC3984541 DOI: 10.1097/dbp.0b013e3181644a79] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We evaluated whether living arrangements of children with or without prenatal drug exposure would be associated with their behavior outcomes and adaptive functioning. METHODS A total of 1388 children with or without prenatal cocaine or opiate exposure were enrolled in a longitudinal cohort study at 1 month of age, were seen at intervals, tracked over time for their living situation, and evaluated for behavior problems and adaptive functioning at 3 years of age. The Child Behavior Checklist and Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales were administered. Using multiple regression models, we determined the factors that would predict behavior problems and adaptive functioning. RESULTS Of the children enrolled, 1092 children were evaluated. Total and externalizing behavior problems T scores of children in relative care were lower (better) than those in parental care; externalizing behavior scores were lower than those in nonrelative care (p < .05). Total behavior problem scores increased 2.3 and 1.3 points, respectively, with each move per year and each year of Child Protective Services involvement. Compared to children in nonrelative care, those in parental or relative care had higher (better) scores in the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales total composite (p < .023), communication (p < .045), and daily living (p < .001). Each caretaker change was associated with a decrease of 2.65 and 2.19 points, respectively, in communication and daily living scores. CONCLUSION Children's living arrangements were significantly associated with childhood behavior problems and adaptive functioning. The instability of living situation was also a significant predictor of these outcomes. While family preservation continues to be the goal of the child welfare system, expediting decision toward permanency remains paramount once children are placed in foster care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrietta S Bada
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, USA.
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Tropea TF, Guerriero RM, Willuhn I, Unterwald EM, Ehrlich ME, Steiner H, Kosofsky BE. Augmented D1 dopamine receptor signaling and immediate-early gene induction in adult striatum after prenatal cocaine. Biol Psychiatry 2008; 63:1066-74. [PMID: 18275938 PMCID: PMC2746072 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2007.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2007] [Revised: 11/07/2007] [Accepted: 12/13/2007] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal exposure to cocaine can impede normal brain development, triggering a range of neuroanatomical and behavioral anomalies that are evident throughout life. Mouse models have been especially helpful in delineating neuro-teratogenic consequences after prenatal exposure to cocaine. The present study employed a mouse model to investigate alterations in D(1) dopamine receptor signaling and downstream immediate-early gene induction in the striatum of mice exposed to cocaine in utero. METHODS Basal, forskolin-, and D(1) receptor agonist-induced cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels were measured ex vivo in the adult male striatum in mice exposed to cocaine in utero. Further studies assessed cocaine-induced zif 268 and homer 1 expression in the striatum of juvenile (P15), adolescent (P36), and adult (P60) male mice. RESULTS The D(1) dopamine receptor agonist SKF82958 induced significantly higher levels of cAMP in adult male mice treated with cocaine in utero compared with saline control subjects. No effects of the prenatal treatment were found for cAMP formation induced by forskolin. After an acute cocaine challenge (15 mg/kg, IP), these mice showed greater induction of zif 268 and homer 1, an effect that was most robust in the medial part of the mid-level striatum and became more pronounced with increasing age. CONCLUSIONS Together these findings indicate abnormally enhanced D(1) receptor signal transduction in adult mice after prenatal cocaine exposure. Such changes in dopamine receptor signaling might underlie aspects of long-lasting neuro-teratogenic effects evident in some humans after in utero exposure to cocaine and identify the striatum as one target potentially vulnerable to gestational cocaine exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas F. Tropea
- Laboratory of Molecular and Developmental Neuroscience, Department of Pediatrics, Division Of Pediatric Neurol ogy, New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill-Cornell Medical College, New York, NY
| | - Réjean M. Guerriero
- Laboratory of Molecular and Developmental Neuroscience, Massachusetts General Hospital-East, Charlestown, MA, and Department of Neurol ogy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Ingo Willuhn
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science/The Chicago Medical School, North Chicago, IL
| | - Ellen M. Unterwald
- Department of Pharmacolo gy, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
| | | | - Heinz Steiner
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science/The Chicago Medical School, North Chicago, IL
| | - Barry E. Kosofsky
- Laboratory of Molecular and Developmental Neuroscience, Department of Pediatrics, Division Of Pediatric Neurol ogy, New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill-Cornell Medical College, New York, NY
- Laboratory of Molecular and Developmental Neuroscience, Massachusetts General Hospital-East, Charlestown, MA, and Department of Neurol ogy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
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12
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Ferris MJ, Mactutus CF, Silvers JM, Hasselrot U, Beaudin SA, Strupp BJ, Booze RM. Sex mediates dopamine and adrenergic receptor expression in adult rats exposed prenatally to cocaine. Int J Dev Neurosci 2007; 25:445-54. [PMID: 17933484 PMCID: PMC3184889 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2007.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2007] [Revised: 08/24/2007] [Accepted: 08/27/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The extent of catecholaminergic receptor and respective behavioral alterations associated with prenatal cocaine exposure varies according to exogenous factors such as the amount, frequency, and route of maternal exposure, as well as endogenous factors such as specific brain regions under consideration and sex of the species. The goal of the current study was to use autoradiography to delineate possible moderators of dopaminergic and adrenergic receptor expression in adult rat offspring exposed to cocaine in utero. The current study demonstrated sex-dependent D1 receptor, alpha2, and noradrenergic transporter binding alterations in prelimbic, hippocampus, and anterior cingulate regions of adult rat brains exposed to cocaine during gestational days 8-21. Of further interest was the lack of alterations in the nucleus accumbens for nearly all receptors/transporters investigated, as well as the lack of alterations in D3 receptor binding in nearly all of the regions investigated (nucleus accumbens, prelimbic region, hippocampus, and cingulate gyrus). Thus, the current investigation demonstrated persistent receptor and transporter alterations that extend well into adulthood as a result of cocaine exposure in utero. Furthermore, the demonstration that sex played a mediating role in prenatal cocaine-induced, aberrant receptor/transporter expression is of primary importance for future studies that seek to control for sex in either design or analysis.
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MESH Headings
- Adrenergic alpha-Agonists
- Animals
- Autoradiography
- Behavior, Animal/drug effects
- Benzazepines
- Brain Chemistry/drug effects
- Clonidine
- Cocaine/pharmacology
- Dopamine Antagonists
- Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins/metabolism
- Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors/pharmacology
- Female
- Fluoxetine/analogs & derivatives
- Pregnancy
- Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects
- Rats
- Rats, Sprague-Dawley
- Receptors, Adrenergic/biosynthesis
- Receptors, Adrenergic/drug effects
- Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2/biosynthesis
- Receptors, Dopamine/biosynthesis
- Receptors, Dopamine/drug effects
- Receptors, Dopamine D2/drug effects
- Receptors, Dopamine D3/drug effects
- Sex Characteristics
- Tetrahydronaphthalenes
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark J Ferris
- Program in Behavioral Neuroscience, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, United States.
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Trksak GH, Glatt SJ, Mortazavi F, Jackson D. A meta-analysis of animal studies on disruption of spatial navigation by prenatal cocaine exposure. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2007; 29:570-7. [PMID: 17683902 PMCID: PMC2200866 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2007.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2006] [Revised: 05/04/2007] [Accepted: 06/17/2007] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Water-maze testing has been used to assess prenatal cocaine (PCOC)-induced deficits in behavioral studies of spatial navigation and memory abilities. Effects of PCOC in acquisition or in probe trials over water-maze testing days were rarely detected. Despite an absence of effects of PCOC when data were collapsed over multiple days, there was a potential difference when examined during the first day of acquisition training, characterized by a PCOC-associated decrease in learning efficiency but not capacity. Here, we review studies of PCOC-related changes in day-1 water-maze acquisition training and examine the relationship between experimental methodologies and PCOC-treatment procedures and the variability in effect size estimates across studies. The results revealed a significant increase in latencies to goal platform on acquisition training day-1 in PCOC-exposed offspring vs. controls (effect size: r=0.44). Significant effects attributable to variations in the PCOC-treatment procedures across studies were also identified. The moderating variable of PCOC "dose" was significant as lower doses of PCOC exposure yielded larger treatment effects. "Duration" of PCOC exposure was not significant, although a trend for greater effects was observed in studies that employed longer daily treatment schedules or schedules administered in later gestational periods. This analysis identified a consistent difference in acquisition training day-1 of water-maze testing in PCOC-exposed offspring indicating a PCOC-induced deficiency in spatial learning. These findings of impaired spatial learning efficiency are of particular interest given clinical scenarios involving acutely impaired spatial memory and related learning in PCOC-exposed children that highlight the potential consequences in classroom learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- George H Trksak
- Behavioral Pharmacology Research Laboratory, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02478, USA.
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Johns JM, Lubin DA, Lieberman JA, Lauder JM. Developmental effects of prenatal cocaine exposure on 5-HT1A receptors in male and female rat offspring. Dev Neurosci 2002; 24:522-30. [PMID: 12697990 PMCID: PMC3111017 DOI: 10.1159/000069363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2002] [Accepted: 12/10/2002] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal cocaine exposure results in behavioral abnormalities throughout development in rats, but little is known regarding the biological mechanisms underlying these abnormalities. Pregnant rats received subcutaneous twice-daily injections (1 ml/kg) of normal saline or 15 mg/kg of cocaine hydrochloride throughout gestation (gestation days 1-20). Following delivery, pups were placed with untreated surrogates. Male and female pups were killed on postnatal days 30, 60 or 120 for assessment of 5-HT(1A) receptor development in the forebrain, diencephalon, midbrain and pons using radiolabel immunocytochemistry. Findings revealed gender and age differences in developmental regulation of 5-HT(1A) receptors, indicating that male rats are more susceptible to long-term consequences of prenatal cocaine exposure in comparison to females. This study also demonstrates gender-specific development of serotonin (5-HT(1A)) receptors across postnatal ages, demonstrating a fundamentally different pattern of development of 5-HT(1A) receptors between males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josephine M Johns
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7096, USA.
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15
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Bayer LE, Brown A, Mactutus CF, Booze RM, Strupp BJ. Prenatal cocaine exposure increases sensitivity to the attentional effects of the dopamine D1 agonist SKF81297. J Neurosci 2000; 20:8902-8. [PMID: 11102500 PMCID: PMC6773060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensitivity to the attentional effects of SKF81297, a selective full agonist at dopamine D(1) receptors, was assessed in adult rats exposed to cocaine prenatally (via intravenous injections) and controls. The task assessed the ability of the subjects to monitor an unpredictable light cue of either 300 or 700 msec duration and to maintain performance when presented with olfactory distractors. SKF81297 decreased nose pokes before cue presentation and increased latencies and response biases (the tendency to respond to the same port used on the previous trial), suggesting an effect of SKF81297 on the dopamine (DA) systems responsible for response initiation and selection. The cocaine-exposed (COC) and control animals did not differ in sensitivity to the effects of SKF81297 on these measures. In contrast, the COC animals were significantly more sensitive than were controls to the impairing effect of SKF81297 on omission errors, a measure of sustained attention. This pattern of results provides evidence that prenatal cocaine exposure produces lasting changes in the DA system(s) subserving sustained attention but does not alter the DA system(s) underlying response selection and initiation. These findings also provide support for the role of D(1) receptor activation in attentional functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- L E Bayer
- Department of Psychology and Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
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Jones LB, Stanwood GD, Reinoso BS, Washington RA, Wang HY, Friedman E, Levitt P. In utero cocaine-induced dysfunction of dopamine D1 receptor signaling and abnormal differentiation of cerebral cortical neurons. J Neurosci 2000; 20:4606-14. [PMID: 10844030 PMCID: PMC6772445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Monoamines modulate neuronal differentiation, and alteration of monoamine neurotransmission during development produces specific changes in neuronal structure, function, and pattern formation. We have previously observed that prenatal exposure to cocaine in a clinically relevant animal model produces increased length of pyramidal neuron dendrites in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) postnatally. We now report that cocaine administered intravenously to pregnant rabbits at gestational stages preceding and during cortical histogenesis results in the early onset of hypertrophic dendritic outgrowth in the embryonic ACC. Confocal microscopy of DiI-labeled neurons revealed that the atypical, tortuous dendritic profiles seen postnatally in ACC-cocaine neurons already are apparent in utero. No defects in neuronal growth were observed in visual cortex (VC), a region lacking prominent dopamine innervation. In striking correlation with our in vivo results, in vitro experiments revealed a significant enhancement of spontaneous process outgrowth of ACC neurons isolated from cocaine-exposed fetuses but no changes in neurons derived from visual cortex. The onset of modified growth in vivo is paralleled by reduced D(1A) receptor coupling to its G-protein. These data suggest that the dynamic growth of neurons can be regulated by early neurotransmitter signaling in a selective fashion. Prenatal onset of defects in dopamine receptor signaling contributes to abnormal circuit formation and may underlie specific cognitive and behavioral dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- L B Jones
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, USA
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