1. Dev Neurobiol. 2014 Apr 27. doi: 10.1002/dneu.22185. [Epub ahead of print]
Long-term consequences of neonatal fluoxetine exposure in adult rats.
Ko MC(1), Lee LJ, Li Y, Lee LJ.
Author information:
(1)Graduate Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, National Taiwan University,
Taipei, Taiwan.
Serotonin (5-HT) plays important roles during neural development. Administration
of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)-type medication during gestation
may influence the maturation of the fetal brain and subsequent brain functions.
To mimic the condition of late-gestation SSRI exposure, we administered
fluoxetine (FLX) in neonatal rats during the first postnatal week, which roughly
corresponds to the third trimester period of human gestation. FLX-exposed adult
male rats exhibited reduced locomotor activity and depression-like behaviors.
Furthermore, sensorimotor gating capacity was also impaired. Interestingly,
increased social interaction was noticed in FLX-exposed rats. When the levels of
5-HT and tryptophan hydroxylase were examined, no significant changes were found
in FLX rats compared to control (CON) rats. The behavioral phenotypes of FLX rats
suggested malfunction of the limbic system. Dendritic architectures of neurons in
the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and basolateral amygdala (BLA) were examined.
Layer II/III mPFC pyramidal neurons in FLX rats had exuberant dendritic branches
with elongated terminal segments compared to those in CON rats. In BLA pyramidal
neurons, the dendritic profiles were comparable between the two groups. However,
in FLX rats, the density of dendritic spines was reduced in both mPFC and BLA.
Together, our results demonstrated the long-lasting effects of early FLX
treatment on emotional and social behaviors in adult rats in which impaired
neuronal structure in the limbic system was also noticed. The risk of taking
SSRI-type antidepressants during pregnancy should be considered. © 2014 Wiley
Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol, 2014.
Copyright © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
PMID: 24771683 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]