Prenatal exposure to diazepam and alprazolam, but not to zolpidem, affects behavioural stress reactivity in handling-naïve and handling-habituated adult male rat progeny

A gentle long-lasting handling produces persistent neurochemical and behavioural changes and attenuates the impairment in the behavioural reactivity to novelty induced by the prenatal exposure to diazepam (DZ) in adult male rat progeny. This study investigated the consequences of a late prenatal treatment with three GABA/BDZ R agonists (DZ) alprazolam (ALP) and zolpidem (ZOLP)), on different stress-related behavioural patterns, in non-handled (NH), short-lasting handled (SLH) and long-lasting handled (LLH) adult male rats exposed to forced swim test (FST), acoustic startle reflex (ASR) and Vogel test (VT). The effects on motor activity were evaluated in the open field and in the Skinner box. The seizure sensitivity to picrotoxin (PTX) was investigated as an index of the functional state of GABA/BDZ Rs. A single daily s.c. injection of DZ (1.25–2.50 mg/kg) and ALP (0.125–0.250 mg/kg) over gestational days 14–20 induced a decrease in immobility time in the FST in NH rats, no change in SLH rats and an increase in LLH rats; DZ induced an increase in the peak amplitude of the ASR in NH rats, no change in SLH rats and a reduction in LLH rats; ALP was ineffective in all groups. DZ and ALP reduced the number of punished licks in the VT in NH, SLH and LLH rats while the unpunished licks were not modified. DZ decreased locomotion and the lever pressing responses while ALP increased them. DZ and ALP increased the seizure sensitivity to PTX (2.5–4.0 mg/kg i.p.). These findings indicate a convergence on anxiety-related behaviours in the effects of prenatal exposure to DZ and ALP and a differentiation on motor activity. Long-lasting handling was able to overcompensate the increased behavioural stress reactivity induced by the prenatal exposure to DZ and ALP.