Da. Lubin et al., Dose-related effects of chronic gestational cocaine treatment on maternal aggression in rats on postpartum days 2, 3, and 5, PROG NEUR-P, 25(7), 2001, pp. 1403-1420
Citations number
41
Categorie Soggetti
Neurosciences & Behavoir
Journal title
PROGRESS IN NEURO-PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
1. Gravid Sprague-Dawley rats received subcutaneous injections of saline, 3
.5, 7.5 or 15 mg/kg of cocaine, twice daily, throughout gestation.
2. On postpartum days 2, 3, and 5, dams and their litters (surrogate or nat
ural) were videotaped for 10 minutes in the presence of a male rat for asse
ssment of aggression towards the intruder. Oxytocin levels in discrete brai
n areas were assayed on postpartum day 5.
3. The 30 mg/kg dose group had a significantly greater increase in the freq
uency of threats from postpartum day2 through postpartum day 5 than the 7.5
mg/kg cocaine and the non-yoke-fed saline control groups.
4. Dams with natural litters exhibited a significantly greater frequency of
receptive behavior compared to dams with surrogate litters.
5. There were no significant differences in oxytocin levels between the 30
mg/kg cocaine-treated group and the other treatment or control groups on po
stpartum day 5.
6 There are very few statistically significant cocaine-induced increases in
maternal aggressive behavior and no dose-dependent decreases in amygdaloid
OT levels in the early postpartum period.