The role of clomipramine in potentiating the teratogenic effects of caffeine in pregnant rats: a histopathological study

The neuroprotective effect of exogen melatonin upon fetal hippocampus damage caused by high-dose caffeine administration in pregnant rats

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to evaluate whether exogenous melatonin (MEL) mitigates the deleterious effects of high-dose caffeine (CAF) administration in pregnant rats upon the fetal hippocampus.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 32 adult Wistar albino female rats were divided into four groups after conception (n = 8). At 9-20 days of pregnancy, intraperitoneal (i.p.) MEL was administered at a dose of 10 mg/kg/day in the MEL group, while i.p. CAF was administered at a dose of 60 mg/kg/day in the CAF group. In the CAF plus MEL group, i.p. CAF and MEL were administered at a dose of 60 and 10 mg/kg/day, respectively, at the same period. Following extraction of the brains of the fetuses sacrificed on the 21st day of pregnancy, their hippocampal regions were analyzed by hematoxylin and eosin and Cresyl Echt Violet, anti-GFAP, and antisynaptophysin staining methods.

RESULTS

While there was a decrease in fetal and brain weights in the CAF group, it was found that the CAF plus MEL group had a closer weight average to that of the control group. Histologically, it was observed that the pyramidal cell layer consisted of 8-10 layers of cells due to the delay in migration in hippocampal neurons in the CAF group, while the MEL group showed similar characteristics with the control group. It was found that these findings decreased in the CAF plus MEL group.

CONCLUSION

It is concluded that high-dose CAF administration causes a delay in neurogenesis of the fetal hippocampus, and exogenous MEL is able to mitigate its deleterious effects.

Comparative effect of administration and discontinuation of sildenafil and/or clomipramine on the hepatic, cardiac and testicular tissues of male rats

In this study, we examined the adverse consequences of prolonged treatment with sildenafil and/or clomipramine (CLO) on the hepatic, cardiac and testicular tissues of rats. Additionally, we investigated the potential effects of treatment discontinuation. To this end, 60 adult male rats were randomly assigned into six groups and were orally treated with 4.5 mg sildenafil /kg BW (SLD) and 9 mg/ kg BW (SHD), 2.25 mg CLO/kg BW (CLO), 4.5 mg sildenafil/kg BW + 2.25 mg CLO/kg BW (SLD-CLO) and 9 mg sildenafil/kg BW + 2.25 mg CLO/kg BW (SHD-CLO) while the control rats received 0.5 ml distilled water for 8 weeks. Then, five rats from each group were sacrificed and the other five rats were left untreated for another four weeks to recover from the drug treatment. Long-term administration of sildenafil and/or CLO led to oxidative stress, inflammation and structural changes in the liver, heart and testis, reduction in sperm count and motility, an increase in abnormalities, and a reduction in serum testosterone, FSH and LH levels. All tested parameters returned to the normal state following the four-week discontinuation of sildenafil. Additionally, all the alterations caused by long-term administration of CLO, SLD-CLO and SHD-CLO were significantly improved during the recovery period.

Use of Prescribed Psychotropics during Pregnancy: A Systematic Review of Pregnancy, Neonatal, and Childhood Outcomes

This paper reviews the findings from preclinical animal and human clinical research investigating maternal/fetal, neonatal, and child neurodevelopmental outcomes following prenatal exposure to psychotropic drugs. Evidence for the risks associated with prenatal exposure was examined, including teratogenicity, neurodevelopmental effects, neonatal toxicity, and long-term neurobehavioral consequences (i.e., behavioral teratogenicity). We conducted a comprehensive review of the recent results and conclusions of original research and reviews, respectively, which have investigated the short- and long-term impact of drugs commonly prescribed to pregnant women for psychological disorders, including mood, anxiety, and sleep disorders. Because mental illness in the mother is not a benign event, and may itself pose significant risks to both mother and child, simply discontinuing or avoiding medication use during pregnancy may not be possible. Therefore, prenatal exposure to psychotropic drugs is a major public health concern. Decisions regarding drug choice, dose, and duration should be made carefully, by balancing severity, chronicity, and co-morbidity of the mental illness, disorder, or condition against the potential risk for adverse outcomes due to drug exposure. Globally, maternal mental health problems are considered as a major public health challenge, which requires a stronger focus on mental health services that will benefit both mother and child. More preclinical and clinical research is needed in order to make well-informed decisions, understanding the risks associated with the use of psychotropic medications during pregnancy.

Prenatal Caffeine Exposure and Child IQ at Age 5.5 Years: The EDEN Mother-Child Cohort

BACKGROUND

Evidence from animal studies suggests maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy has detrimental effects on subsequent brain development in offspring. However, human data in this area are limited. The aim of this study was to assess whether caffeine intake by women during pregnancy is associated with impaired cognitive development in offspring at age 5.5 years.

METHODS

Multivariate modeling was conducted using data of 1083 mother-child pairs from a population-based birth cohort in France followed from pregnancy to age 5.5 years of the children. Measures included an estimate of maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy, children's IQ at age 5.5, and individual and family characteristics.

RESULTS

Prenatal caffeine exposure was common in the sample (91%) with 12% displaying an intake ≥200 mg/day (high). Multivariable modeling showed a significant negative relationship between caffeine intake and children's IQ at 5.5 years (-.94 [95% confidence interval = -1.70, -.17] full IQ unit per 100 mg daily caffeine intake). In particular, children of mothers consuming ≥200 mg/day were more likely to have borderline or lower IQ compared with children of mothers consuming <100 mg/day (13.5% vs. 7.3%; odds ratio = 2.30, 95% confidence interval = 1.13, 4.69).

CONCLUSIONS

We found an association between caffeine intake during pregnancy and impaired cognitive development in offspring, a result in line with animal data. More epidemiologic and biologically grounded research is needed to determine whether this association is causal. This finding suggests that conservative guidelines regarding the maximum caffeine intake recommended in pregnancy (i.e., 200 mg/day) should be maintained.