Administration of clozapine to a mother rat potentiates pup ultrasonic vocalization in response to separation and re-separation: contrast with haloperidol

Behav Brain Res. 2011 Sep 23;222(2):385-9. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2011.03.062. Epub 2011 Apr 5.

Abstract

The present study examined how haloperidol (typical) and clozapine (atypical) treatment to mother rats affected their pups' ultrasonic vocalization (USV) response to maternal separation and re-separation (termed "maternal potentiation"). Clozapine (10 mg/kg, sc) but not haloperidol (0.2 mg/kg, sc) significantly enhanced the maternal potentiation of 40 kHz USVs in pups that were briefly reunited with their dams. This novel paradigm provides an indirect way of assessing the impact of antipsychotic treatment on the quality of maternal care. It may also be useful in examining the impact of antipsychotic treatment on social bonding between infants and mothers.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Clozapine / pharmacology*
  • Female
  • Haloperidol / pharmacology*
  • Male
  • Maternal Behavior / drug effects
  • Maternal Deprivation*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Vocalization, Animal / drug effects*

Substances

  • Clozapine
  • Haloperidol