Developmental changes in the offspring of rats electroshocked during gestation

Pregnant Long-Evans rats divided into five groups of three animals each and received electroshock daily starting from day 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15 of gestation, respectively, and terminating in all cases on day 20. Offspring from electroshocked and unshocked mothers were compared from birth through 60 days of age with respect to body weight and growth rate, and at birth and 60 days in terms of brain biochemical parameters. No differences were observed in body weight, either at birth or at 60 days of age, between offspring from electroshocked and unshocked mothers; however, the rate of growth was slower among offspring of electroshocked mothers up to 30 days of age when it proceeded faster than in control offspring. Although all groups showed a declining growth rate between 30 and 60 days, offspring of electroshocked rats maintained a lead over control offspring. At birth, in the offspring from electroshocked mothers, DNA, K, and C1 content in the cerebral cortex was higher and Na content was lower than in control offspring. At 60 days of age, however, no differences in DNA were observed between offspring of electroshocked mothers and control offspring, but the former animals showed lower K and Na content and higher C1 content in the cerebral cortex than control offspring. The changes in DNA and K content at the two ages studied may reflect differences in cell-packing density in the cerebral cortex. The variations observed in cholinesterase activity indicate that maternal electroshock seizure threshold differentially affects CNS cholinergic systems. AChE and BuChE activity in the cerebral cortex at 60 days was lower in the offspring of electroshocked mothers than in control offspring. AChE activity in the cerebellum was lower than that observed in controls among offspring of mothers electroshocked early in pregnancy and higher in the offspring of mothers electroshocked later in pregnancy. BuChE activity in the cerebellum was lower than that of controls in all offspring from electroshocked mothers. AChE and BuChE activity in the hypothalamus was lower than controls among offspring of animals electroshocked from day 7 of gestation and higher than controls among the remaining groups. It is postulated that electroshock during gestation causes alterations in the humoral status of the maternal organism thereby inducing changes to the fetus that are later reflected in the postnatal development of the offspring.