The effects of perinatal excitatory amino acids on neuroendocrine function in the rat

The objectives of this study were to characterize effects on serum corticosterone (CORT), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), oxytocin, and prolactin concentrations in neonatal rats following sequential injections of domoic acid (DOM) or kainic acid (KA) over PND 8-14, and to determine whether these drug treatments correlate with long-term changes in behavioural and neuroendocrine responses to stress.

In the first experiment, eighty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat pups were randomly assigned to one of five treatment groups: 5 or 20μg/kg DOM, 25 or 100μg/kg KA, or saline. Drugs were administered by subcutaneous injection and physical assessments were performed daily from PND 8-14.

In the second experiment, thirty-four 16-month-old SD rats treated with either 20μg/kg DOM or saline from PND 8-14 were used. Blood was collected prior to and immediately after exposure to a mild stressor. Also, trunk blood was collected 1 month later and assayed for baseline serum ACTH. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).