Primal Health Databank: Study
| Entry No: | 0190 |
| Title: | Prenatal exposure to phenobarbital and quantifiable alterations in the electroencephalogram of adult rat offspring |
| Author(s): | Livezey GT, Rayburn WF, Smith CV |
| Reference: | Am J Obstet Gynecol 1992; 167: 1611-15 |
| Place of Study: | Nebraska, USA |
| Abstract: | 24 adult female rats were given phenobarbital as 0, 20, 40, or 60 mg per kg / day between 9 and 10am for 28 days before breeding and throughout gestation. The electroencephalograms of 9 day old offspring were sampled over 24 hours. Female offspring exposed prenatally to 20mg and males exposed prenatally to 40mg displayed an increase in delta and a decrease in alpha and middle beta wave form activities. Females exposed prenatally to 40mg and males exposed prenatally to 60mg displayed decreases in delta, theta, alpha and middle beta activities. The author's conclusion is that prenatal phenobarbital exposure produces dose- and sex-dependant changes in the electroencephalogram of mature offspring consistent with a generalised deficit in the neuronal synchronisation mechanisms that are critical for normal sleep and learning. |
| Keyword(s): | barbiturates, electroencephalogram, experimental Primal Health research, phenobarbital, sleeping patterns |
| Discussion: | This result should be compared with the result of animal studies of prenatal exposure to diazepam (valium). See entries 0034,0035,0191-0193. This study is a good example of what experimental primal health research can achieve. |
| See Also: | 0034, 0035, 0191, 0192, 0193 |
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