Susceptibilidade a crises epilépticas e alterações comportamentais em fêmeas de geração F1 resultantes da exposição materna à pirólise do crack

Abstract

Crack is a psychoactive drug derived from cocaine base paste that acts on the Central Nervous System. The abuse of this substance has been growing and is already considered a serious public health problem in Brazil. The use of cocaine in its smoked form causes several social problems, besides physical disturbances and neurological alterations, such as mental disorders. The literature shows that the maternal exposure to cocaine generates harmful consequences in the offspring, such as cognitive and behavioral deficits and seizures, however, studies regarding the consequences of maternal exposure to crack are still scarce. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the neurobehavioral effects and susceptibility to epileptic seizures in the female offspring (F1 generation) of pregnant rats exposed to crack pyrolysis during gestation. For this, the rats were exposed to crack during gestation and after the F1 generation was born, the female rats were submitted to the following behavioral tests: anxiety (elevated plus maze; EPM), locomotion (open field; OF), depression (forced swim test; FST) and memory (inhibitory avoidance; IA). In addition, susceptibility to Status Epilepticus was assessed. The present study evidenced that the offspring of pregnant rats exposed to crack pyrolysis, during the gestational period exhibited a decrease in the time and frequency of entry into the open arms of the LCE, indicating an anxious type behavior, as well as, an increase in the immobility time in the TNF, characterizing a depressive type behavior. Furthermore, he presented a reduction in the descent time in the IS test, demonstrating the presence of deficits in memory consolidation and a sudden reduction in the threshold for epileptic seizures, followed by an increase in seizure severity. Thus, the present work demonstrated a greater predisposition of F1 generation females exposed to crack during the gestational period to present behavioral and cognitive neurological alterations.