Prenatal ethanol exposure in rats alters serotonergic-mediated behavioral and physiological function.

Rationale: Animals prenatally exposed to ethanol (ethanol-exposed animals) exhibit physiological and behavioral abnormalities consistent with altered 5-hyrdroxytryptamine (5-HT) function including lack of response inhibition and increased anxiety and aggression.

Objective: The present study investigated the possibility that ethanol-exposed animals show alterations in 5-HT(1A) and 5-HT(2A) receptor function, two 5-HT receptor subtypes mediating these behaviors. We measured the physiological and behavioral responses to the 5-HT(1A) agonist 8-hydroxy-2-(di- n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT), and the 5-HT(2A/C)agonist (+/-)-1-(2, 5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane hydrochloride) (DOI), which provide indices for estimating central changes in 5-HT activity and receptor function.