GESTATIONAL COCAINE AND ETHANOL EXPOSURE ALTER SPONTANEOUS AND COCAINE-INDUCED BEHAVIOR IN WEANLING RATS

The developmental and behavioral effects of prenatal exposure to cocai ne and/or ethanol were examined in rats. Pregnant rats received ethano l (E; 2 g/kg, b.i.d.) orally, cocaine (C; 6 mg/kg/day, IV), or both (C /E) on gestational days 8-20. Controls consisted of pair-fed (PF) and untreated (UNT) groups. Offspring were weighed and examined for develo pmental markers beginning postnatal day one (PD1). On PD21 pups were i ndividually observed in an open-field following either an injection of cocaine (10 mg/kg. IP), an injection of saline, or no treatment. Drug -treated and PF dams ate less food and gained less weight than the UNT dams. C and E litters had slightly increased mortality rates. Pups fr om both the C and E groups appeared less sensitive to the locomotor st imulant effect of cocaine. Pups from the E group engaged in significan tly less spontaneous stereotypic locomotion than UNT and PF pups, whil e male pups from the C group exhibited a decrease in spontaneous explo ratory behavior. Thus, prenatal exposure to C or E altered spontaneous and/or cocaine-induced. behavior in weanling-aged rats, while the CIE combination did not augment either effect. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevie r Science Inc.