Effects of prenatal morphine on hypothalamic metabolism of neurotransmitters and gonadal and adrenal activities,during the early postnatal period in the rat |
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Authors: | J Lesage F Bernet V Montel J P Dupouy |
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Institution: | (1) Centre de Biologie Cellulaire, Neuroendocrinologie Expérimentale Neuroendocrinologie du Développement, J.E. 234, Université de Lille 1, 59655 Villeneuve d’Ascq, France |
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Abstract: | It is noteworthy that exposure to opiates during fetal development results in permanent changes in adults related to morphological,
behavioral and biochemical measures; however little is known concerning the effects of such drugs in early postnatal life.
We investigated in newborn rats the effects of prenatal morphine-exposure on both—the hypothalamic metabolism of norepinephrine
(NE), serotonin (5 HT) and neuropeptide Y (NPY)—the activity of the hypothalamo-pituitary gonadal and adrenal axes. In a previous
study performed in newborns of untreated mothers, we reported some sex-dependent changes in the metabolism of NE, 5 HT and
NPY in the hypothalamus and an early activation of the gonadostimulating function and of the corticostimulating one. In control
newborns from saline-treated mothers, a slight increase in the hypothalamic metabolism of NE (males) and 5 HT (males and females)
was observed and it was comparable in both sexes. On the other hand, the hypothalamic content of NPY was unaffected in early
postnatal period in newborn males as well as in females. These changes observed on hypothalamic metabolisms are temporally
correlated with the early postnatal activation of the corticostimulating function in neonates of both sexes and that of the
gonadostimulating one, mainly in males. Prenatal morphine exposure altered the hypothalamic metabolism of 5 HT which was increased
mainly in newborn females but did not affect either the metabolism of NE or the NPY content of the hypothalamus. The more
drastic effect of the prenatal morphine treatment is the atrophy and hypoactivity of the adrenals in newborns of both sexes
at birth time and during the early postnatal period. In contrast morphine did not impair postnatal surge of the plasma testosterone
level in male pups as well as late and slight increase of plasma estradiol in female ones. |
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Keywords: | Morphine hypothalamic metabolism norepinephrine serotonin neuropeptide Y corticosterone testosterone estradiol newborn-rat |
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