I. Vathy et al., SEX DIMORPHIC ALTERATIONS IN POSTNATAL BRAIN CATECHOLAMINES AFTER GESTATIONAL MORPHINE, Brain research bulletin, 36(2), 1995, pp. 185-193
The concentration of brain catecholamines was measured in the hypothal
amus, preoptic area (POA), frontal cortex, cerebellum, and striatum of
rats exposed in utero to morphine (5-10 mg/kg/twice daily) during ges
tation days 11-18. Prenatal morphine induced regionally specific, sexu
ally dimorphic alterations in male and female norepinephrine (NE), and
dopamine (DA) content at different postnatal ages. Prenatal morphine
significantly increased NE content in the hypothalamus of both sexes a
t postnatal day (PND) 23. In the POA, on the other hand, morphine incr
eased NE content in exposed males at PND 23 and in females at PND 33.
In the cerebellum, the NE content of both sexes was significantly elev
ated at PND 45. In the striatum, NE content was increased by the prena
tal morphine only in females at PND 16. The concentration of DA was al
so affected in a sexually dimorphic manner. At PND 16, prenatal morphi
ne increased the levels of hypothalamic DA only in males, and it reduc
ed the content of DA in female but not male POA. At PND 45, prenatal m
orphine increased DA in the hypothalamus of females and decreased it i
n males. In the cerebellum of 16-day-old morphine-exposed animals, DA
levels were increased only in males; at PND 45, the levels of DA were
still increased in males but had not changed in females. In the striat
um, the DA content was reduced only in males at PND 16. Thus, prenatal
morphine alters the development of both NE and DA neurotransmitter sy
stems in the hypothalamus, POA, striatum, and cerebellum in a sexually
dimorphic manner.