Prenatal Pregabalin Exposure Alters Postnatal Pain Sensitivity and Some Behavioral Responses in Adult Offspring Rats

Background: Prenatal antiepileptic drug exposure could demonstrate both congenital malformations and behavioral impairments in offspring.

Objective: This study was performed to assess the effects of prenatal exposure to pregabalin (PGB) on pain response, anxiety, motor activity and some behavior of adult offspring rats.

Methods: Pregnant Wistar rats received PGB (7.5, 15 and 30 mg/kg/ip) during embryonic days 9.5- 15.5. The pain response, anxiety-like behaviors, locomotor activity, motor balance and coordination and anhedonia of adult offspring were examined by tail-flick and hot plate test, open field test, elevated plus maze (EPM), beam balance test and sucrose preference test in their 60th day of life, respectively.

Results: Prenatal exposure to PGB revealed significant dose-dependent reduction in pain sensitivity (increase in pain latency response) in the hot plate test, especially in females, while anxiety-like behavior assessed in EPM and open field significantly reduced in males. In the open field, locomotor activity reduced significantly after exposure to PGB 30 mg/kg and motor coordination decreased dose-dependently, especially in males. Anhedonia, as an indication of sucrose preference or pleasure response, was not changed.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that prenatal PGB exposure could be associated with significant changes in pain response, anxiety, locomotor activity and coordination in adult offspring rats.