Rationale: Fluoxetine (Flx; brand names Prozac, Sarafem, Rapiflux), a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, is prescribed for the treatment of depression in pregnant women; however, this commonly prescribed medication could affect fetal brain development as Flx crosses the placenta. The available data concerning the anatomical and behavioural consequences of perinatal exposure to Flx during early development on adult behaviour are limited and often contradictory.
Objectives: To further delineate the long-term behavioural effects of altering 5-HT during development, we examined the effects of perinatal Flx exposure on the behaviour of male mice as adults.
Methods: Dams were treated with approximately 25 mg/kg/day of Flx from embryonic day 15 to postnatal day 12, and the behaviour of the adult offspring was assessed.
Results: We found that perinatal Flx exposure leads to increased aggression, improved spatial memory, and reduced anxiety-like behaviour. This exposure did not cause memory deficits, changes in sensory processing, or changes in gross motor function.
Conclusions: Our results suggest that while perinatal exposure to Flx may have long-term effects on adult behaviour, these effects appear limited and not necessarily detrimental.
© 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.