Effects of chronic and acute cocaine treatment on the onset of maternal behavior and aggression in Sprague-Dawley rats.

• DOI: 10.1037/0735-7044.108.1.107
• Publication Date: 2005-09-21T17:34:14Z
• Authors: Josephine M. Johns; Linda R. Noonan; Laura I. Zimmerman; Li Li; Cort A. Pedersen
• Keywords: Male; 0301 basic medicine; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Administration Schedule; Rats; Aggression; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; 03 medical and health sciences; Cocaine; Pregnancy; Reaction Time; Animals; Female; Maternal Behavior; Territoriality; Agonistic Behavior

Pregnant rats were treated either throughout gestation (GD 1-20) with 30 mg/kg per day (chronic cocaine) or one 15-mg/kg dose immediately following parturition (acute cocaine). Chronic and acute cocaine treatment delayed diminished the postpartum onset of some components maternal behavior, chronically dams significantly more aggressive toward a male intruder than cocaine-treated saline-treated dams. Cocaine increased latency to crouch over pups decreased duration during 30-min observation period that followed parturition. Latencies nest build also longer in chronic saline controls. On Day 6 postpartum, 83% pinned attacked an 8 times 10-min period, whereas only 4% none exhibited this much aggression.