Alterations in the thermic response to chlorpromazine in rats exposed prenatally to central nervous system depressants

Prenatal exposition to haloperidol: A preclinical narrative review

Pre-existing maternal mental disorders may affect the early interactions between mother and baby, impacting the child's psychoemotional development. The typical antipsychotic haloperidol can be used during pregnancy, even with some restrictions. Its prescription is not limited to psychotic disorders, but also to other psychiatric conditions of high incidence and prevalence in the woman's fertile period. The present review focused on the preclinical available data regarding the biological and behavioral implications of embryonic exposure to haloperidol. The understanding of the effects of psychotropic drugs during neurodevelopment is important for its clinical aspect since there is limited evidence regarding the risks of antipsychotic drug treatment in pregnant women and their children. Moreover, a better comprehension of the mechanistic events that can be affected by antipsychotic treatment during the critical period of neurodevelopment may offer insights into the pathophysiology of neurodevelopmental disorders. The findings presented in this review converge to the existence of several risks associated with prenatal exposure to such medication and emphasize the need for further studies regarding its dimensions.

Behavioral changes in juvenile rats after prenatal exposure to ethosuximide

Juvenile rats 4-6 weeks old exposed prenatally at days 5-20 of gestation to ethosuximide at 10 mg/kg/dams' body weights per day were examined for behavioral abnormalities. Pinning behavior in the pups aged 4-5 weeks was significantly more frequent than that in age-matched controls. However, basal activity of open-field behavior and activity inhibited by diazepam administration in the pups aged 5-6 weeks showed no difference from the controls. The intensity of stereotyped behavior induced by apomorphine (1 mg/kg, SC) was significantly greater in the pups aged 5-6 weeks than in the controls. These results indicate that prenatal exposure to ethosuximide may cause changes in the dopaminergic neurons in the central nervous system.