Rats that had been prenatally exposed to cocaine were tested later in
life for their sensitivity to cocaine-kindled seizures and acute cocai
ne-induced seizures. When treated daily with cocaine, beginning at one
month of age, males prenatally exposed to 40 mg/kg cocaine developed
seizures in a fewer number of days than those prenatally exposed to sa
line. Prenatally cocaine-treated females did not seize more rapidly th
an controls in the cocaine kindling paradigm; however, they were more
susceptible to seizures in response to an acute high dose of cocaine.
These results suggest that rats prenatally cocaine-treated are more se
nsitive to the seizure-producing effects of cocaine later in life, and
this enhanced sensitivity is differentially expressed in males and fe
males.