Abstracts

Rationale: Evidence suggests that stress during pregnancy promotes acute and long-term consequences in offspring, the goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of maternal restraint stress during pregnancy on neonatal status epilepticus (SE) in rats.

Methods: Gestational stress was induced by physical restriction in pregnant Wistar rats from gestation day 12 to 20⁽¹⁾ for 4h per day (stress group, n =4); the control group was kept in standard housing conditions (n = 4). From postnatal day (P) 3 to P7, the weight and height of the neonatal rats were evaluated. In P7, SE was induced with the lithium-pilocarpine model. (LiCl 5mEq /Kg, i.p .; pilocarpine hydrochloride 320/Kg, s.c.). The behavioral evaluation was carried out with a modified scale to that described by Torolira et al.⁽²⁾

Results: The neonates of the stress group (n = 31) showed a lower weight [males:10.85 ± 0.80 g;  females: 10.48 ± 0.82 g) and length [males: 6.55± 0.25 cm; females: 6.42± 0.30 cm ] than those of the control group (n = 20) [males: 13.94 ± 0.95 g and 7.22 ± 0.43 cm, respectively; females: 13.18 ± 1.05 g and 7.58 ± 0.54 cm, respectively]. Males in the stress group showed lower latency (15.77 ± 1.77 min) and higher frequency (17.67 ± 3.7) and duration (2.73 ± 0.44 min) of generalized tonic-clonic seizures with vocalizations and hyperkinesis than those of  the control group (39.48 ± 10.22 min, 5.45 ± 1.77 and 1.32 ± 0.40 min, respectively). Females in the stress group showed a longer duration of these crises (2.98 ± 0.76 min) compared to those of the control group (0.92± 0.35 min).

Conclusions: Gestational stress promotes a decrease in weight and height in neonates and a greater severity of SE that varies depending on sex.

Funding: Please list any funding that was received in support of this abstract.: This study was approved by CONACYT (doctoral scholarship awarded to DACR 960415).