Learning and memory effects of neonatal methamphetamine exposure in rats: Role of reactive oxygen species and age at assessment

Abstract In utero methamphetamine (MA) exposure leads to a range of adverse effects, such as decreased attention, reduced working‐memory capability, behavioral dysregulation, and spatial memory impairments in exposed children. In the current experiment, preweaning Sprague‐Dawley rats—as a model of third trimester human exposure—were administered the spin trapping agent, N ‐tert‐butyl‐α‐phenylnitrone (PBN), daily prior to MA. Rats were given 0 (SAL) or 40 mg/kg PBN prior to each MA dose (10 mg/kg, 4× per day) from postnatal day (P) 6–15. Littermates underwent Cincinnati water maze, Morris water maze, and radial water maze assessment beginning on P30 (males) or P60 (females). Males were also tested for conditioned contextual and cued freezing, while females were trained in passive avoidance. Findings show that, regardless of age/sex, neonatal MA induced deficits in all tests, except passive avoidance. PBN did not ameliorate these effects, but had a few minor effects. Taken together, MA induced learning deficits emerge early and persist, but the mechanism remains unknown.