Chronic 'binge' pattern cocaine alters the neuroendocrine profile of pregnant rats

Pregnant Fischer rats injected with cocaine in a 'binge' pattern (3 x15 mg/ kg, i.p.) from gestational days 8 through 17, had significantly higher leve ls of progesterone (212.12+/-22.50 vs. 91.99+/-15.41 ng/ml) and corticoster one (257.99+/-21.76 ng/ml vs. 31.70+/-7.93, respectively) than saline-treat ed darns. No significant differences in prolactin were observed (2.36+/-0.1 7 vs. 2.17+/-0.19 ng rPrl132/ml). Correlation analysis indicated that there is a significant relationship between plasma levels of progesterone and co rticosterone and the quality of nests built by the darns. No correlation wa s found within animals between prolactin plasma levels and the nest quality . Thus, cocaine's effect on progesterone and corticosterone may contribute to the series of behavioral alterations associated with cocaine exposure du ring pregnancy. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.