Autoradiographic evidence of delta-opioid receptor downregulation after prenatal stress in offspring rat brain

In order to visualize neuroanatomical alterations in specific brain regions , light microscopy autoradiography was carried out on offsprings (postnatal day 10) from female rats stressed in different periods of gestation and co ntrols, Group 1 was subjected to restraint stress from day 2 to 6; group 2, from day 7 to 11; group 3, from day 12 to 16; group 4 from day 2 to 16, Gr oup 2 showed decreases in delta-opioid receptor density in different hypoth alamic regions. The decrease in delta-opioid receptor density was less mark ed in groups 1 and 3 whereas there was no modification in group 4, Present data suggest that the prenatal stress induces a downregulation of delta-rec eptors in different hypothalamic regions. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.