New! Sign up for our free email newsletter.
Science News
from research organizations

Sedative And Analgesic Drugs Can Have Profound Negative Effects On Young Brains, Mouse Study Suggests

Date:
December 18, 2008
Source:
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Summary:
A large proteomics study on the brains of newborn mice provides more evidence that sedative and analgesic drugs often used in obstetric or pediatric medicine can have profound and long-term negative effects, even after minimal exposure.
Share:
FULL STORY

A large proteomics study on the brains of newborn mice provides more evidence that numbing drugs often used in obstetric or pediatric medicine can have profound and long-term negative effects, even after minimal exposure.

This study highlights the delicate state of the developing nervous system and reinforces the use of caution when administering sedatives, anesthetics, and anti-convulsants to pregnant women or infants.

Compounds that either block excitatory NMDA receptors or activate inhibitory GABA receptors in the brain are clinically useful as anesthetics or for treating disorders like seizures and insomnia. However, just like other chemicals that produce similar mind-soothing effects (e.g. alcohol), excessive use can be detrimental –particularly in still-developing individuals.

To examine how far-reaching the physiologic effects of such 'numbing' drugs (sedatives, hypnotics, analgesics) are, Angela Kaindl and colleagues treated 6-day old mice with two doses of either the NMDA receptor blocker dizocilpine or the GABA receptor activator Phenobarbital and then analyzed subsequent changes in brain protein expression.

They observed both acute and sustained effects, with protein changes in the cerebral cortex (the area controlling memory, thought, awareness, and language) evident after just 24 hours, and these changes were still present one week and one month after the one-day drug treatment. The affected proteins are involved in crucial processes like cell growth, cell death, and the formation of neural circuits (In another recent study, the authors were able to confirm that such drug treatment negatively influences learning and memory).

A similar drug dose given to adult mice did not produce such changes, which the authors note clearly shows how susceptible infant brains are compared to adults. Importantly, this study shows that drug overuse on even one occasion (for example, during the delivery procedure) can have long-term implications.


Story Source:

Materials provided by American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Kaindl et al. Brief Alteration of NMDA or GABAA Receptor-mediated Neurotransmission Has Long Term Effects on the Developing Cerebral Cortex. Molecular & Cellular Proteomics, 2008; 7 (12): 2293 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.M800030-MCP200

Cite This Page:

American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. "Sedative And Analgesic Drugs Can Have Profound Negative Effects On Young Brains, Mouse Study Suggests." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 18 December 2008. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081211141936.htm>.
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. (2008, December 18). Sedative And Analgesic Drugs Can Have Profound Negative Effects On Young Brains, Mouse Study Suggests. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 28, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081211141936.htm
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. "Sedative And Analgesic Drugs Can Have Profound Negative Effects On Young Brains, Mouse Study Suggests." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081211141936.htm (accessed March 28, 2024).

Explore More

from ScienceDaily

RELATED STORIES