Early-life exposure to caffeine affects the construction and activity of cortical networks in mice

TY - JOUR

T1 - Early-life exposure to caffeine affects the construction and activity of cortical networks in mice

AU - Fazeli, Walid

AU - Zappettini, Stefania

AU - Marguet, Stephan Lawrence

AU - Grendel, Jasper

AU - Esclapez, Monique

AU - Bernard, Christophe

AU - Isbrandt, Dirk

N1 - Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PY - 2017/9

Y1 - 2017/9

N2 - The consumption of psychoactive drugs during pregnancy can have deleterious effects on newborns. It remains unclear whether early-life exposure to caffeine, the most widely consumed psychoactive substance, alters brain development. We hypothesized that maternal caffeine ingestion during pregnancy and the early postnatal period in mice affects the construction and activity of cortical networks in offspring. To test this hypothesis, we focused on primary visual cortex (V1) as a model neocortical region. In a study design mimicking the daily consumption of approximately three cups of coffee during pregnancy in humans, caffeine was added to the drinking water of female mice and their offspring were compared to control offspring. Caffeine altered the construction of GABAergic neuronal networks in V1, as reflected by a reduced number of somatostatin-containing GABA neurons at postnatal days 6-7, with the remaining ones showing poorly developed dendritic arbors. These findings were accompanied by increased synaptic activity in vitro and elevated network activity in vivo in V1. Similarly, in vivo hippocampal network activity was altered from the neonatal period until adulthood. Finally, caffeine-exposed offspring showed increased seizure susceptibility in a hyperthermia-induced seizure model. In summary, our results indicate detrimental effects of developmental caffeine exposure on mouse brain development.

AB - The consumption of psychoactive drugs during pregnancy can have deleterious effects on newborns. It remains unclear whether early-life exposure to caffeine, the most widely consumed psychoactive substance, alters brain development. We hypothesized that maternal caffeine ingestion during pregnancy and the early postnatal period in mice affects the construction and activity of cortical networks in offspring. To test this hypothesis, we focused on primary visual cortex (V1) as a model neocortical region. In a study design mimicking the daily consumption of approximately three cups of coffee during pregnancy in humans, caffeine was added to the drinking water of female mice and their offspring were compared to control offspring. Caffeine altered the construction of GABAergic neuronal networks in V1, as reflected by a reduced number of somatostatin-containing GABA neurons at postnatal days 6-7, with the remaining ones showing poorly developed dendritic arbors. These findings were accompanied by increased synaptic activity in vitro and elevated network activity in vivo in V1. Similarly, in vivo hippocampal network activity was altered from the neonatal period until adulthood. Finally, caffeine-exposed offspring showed increased seizure susceptibility in a hyperthermia-induced seizure model. In summary, our results indicate detrimental effects of developmental caffeine exposure on mouse brain development.

KW - Animals

KW - Animals, Newborn

KW - Caffeine

KW - Central Nervous System Stimulants

KW - Cerebral Cortex

KW - Dendrites

KW - Electrophysiological Phenomena

KW - Female

KW - In Vitro Techniques

KW - Male

KW - Mice

KW - Neocortex

KW - Nerve Net

KW - Pregnancy

KW - Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects

KW - Seizures, Febrile

KW - Somatostatin

KW - Visual Cortex

KW - gamma-Aminobutyric Acid

KW - Journal Article

U2 - 10.1016/j.expneurol.2017.05.013

DO - 10.1016/j.expneurol.2017.05.013

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 28576568

VL - 295

SP - 88

EP - 103

JO - EXP NEUROL

JF - EXP NEUROL

SN - 0014-4886

ER -