Fetal detection of adversity is a conserved trait that allows many species to adapt their early developmental trajectories to ensure survival. According to the fetal-programming model, exposure to stressful or hostile conditions in utero is associated with compromised development and a lifelong risk of adverse health outcomes. In a longitudinal study, we examined the consequences of prenatal an...

The results of the present work show that the exposure of pregnant rats to low doses of all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) (2.5 mg/kg body weight) results in postnatal dysfunction of complex I of the respiratory chain in the cerebellum of the offspring. ATRA had no effect on the postnatal expression of complex I and did not exert any direct inhibitory effect on the enzymatic activity of the complex...

This paper estimates the effects of exposure to environmental factors, including lead, mercury, environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), on child psychomotor development. The study population consists of mother-child pairs in the Polish Mother and Child Cohort Study. Prenatal and postnatal exposure to environmental factors was determined from biomarker meas...

In the present study, we examined whether exposing rats to a high-dose regimen of manganese chloride (Mn) during the postnatal period would depress presynaptic dopamine functioning and alter nonassociative and associative behaviors. To this end, rats were given oral supplements of Mn (750 microg/day) on postnatal days (PD) 1-21. On PD 90, dopamine transporter (DAT) immunoreactivity and [3H]dopa...

Social behavior represents an integral part of behavioral repertoire of rats particularly sensitive to pharmacological and environmental influences. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether early postnatal clonazepam (CZP) exposure can induce age-dependent changes related to expression of social behavior. The drug was administered from postnatal day (P) 7 until P11 at daily doses...

Previous studies have demonstrated that benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) may disrupt the development of key biological systems, thus leaving children more vulnerable to functional impairments in adulthood. The current study was conducted to determine whether neurotoxic effects of postnatal BaP exposure on behavioral performance persist in juvenile and young adult stages. Therefore, neonate Sprague-Dawley p...

Purpose: Research reveals that prenatal alcohol exposure and child trauma (i.e., abuse, neglect, sexual abuse) can have deleterious effects on child development acrossmultiple domains. This studyanalyzed the impact onchildhoodneurodevelopmentof prenatal alcohol exposure and postnatal traumatic experience compared to postnatal traumatic experience alone. Although the harmful effects of both have...