Northern Kentucky University

Exploring Neuronal Activity and Perineuronal Nets in Prenatal Opioid-Exposed Offspring.

Grade Level at Time of Presentation

Senior

Major

Neuroscience

Minor

Psychology

Institution 24-25

Northern Kentucky University

KY House District #

68

KY Senate District #

24

Department

Department of Psychological Sciences

Abstract

On average, 7% of babies are exposed to opioids during the prenatal period and this exposure can impact brain and behavioral function. Opioids induce an inflammatory response in microglia, the immune cells of the brain. Microglia can interact with cellular structures called perineuronal nets (PNNs), which are specialized extracellular matrix structures responsible for synaptic stabilization in the adult brain that typically encapsulate parvalbumin cells, a class of inhibitory neurons. It is possible that opioid exposure may affect brain development by altering PNNs, supported by our previous observation of increased PNNs in the amygdala of female opioid exposed offspring. This study aims to investigate cellular activity levels alongside PNNs and parvalbumin neurons in adolescent opioid-exposed offspring, expecting changes in number of PNNs, and a decline in neural activity levels in the morphine (MO) group. Throughout pregnancy and lactation, female mice were given either morphine (MO, n = 12), buprenorphine (BUP, n = 8) or saline unexposed (SAL, n = 10). Brain tissue from the prefrontal cortex and amygdala was collected from male and female offspring at postnatal day 60. We labeled cFos to evaluate neural activity after the social interaction test, alongside markers for PNNs and parvalbumin neurons. Using ImageJ, there were no differences in cFos, PNNs or parvalbumin neurons in the brain regions in the males. Ongoing data collection aims to examine sex differences in neural activity by completing analyses in female offspring, but this suggests that prenatal opioid exposure may not directly impact PNNs activity in the male offspring. We also plan to incorporate more advanced imaging analysis methods using newly acquired Imaris software.

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Exploring Neuronal Activity and Perineuronal Nets in Prenatal Opioid-Exposed Offspring.

On average, 7% of babies are exposed to opioids during the prenatal period and this exposure can impact brain and behavioral function. Opioids induce an inflammatory response in microglia, the immune cells of the brain. Microglia can interact with cellular structures called perineuronal nets (PNNs), which are specialized extracellular matrix structures responsible for synaptic stabilization in the adult brain that typically encapsulate parvalbumin cells, a class of inhibitory neurons. It is possible that opioid exposure may affect brain development by altering PNNs, supported by our previous observation of increased PNNs in the amygdala of female opioid exposed offspring. This study aims to investigate cellular activity levels alongside PNNs and parvalbumin neurons in adolescent opioid-exposed offspring, expecting changes in number of PNNs, and a decline in neural activity levels in the morphine (MO) group. Throughout pregnancy and lactation, female mice were given either morphine (MO, n = 12), buprenorphine (BUP, n = 8) or saline unexposed (SAL, n = 10). Brain tissue from the prefrontal cortex and amygdala was collected from male and female offspring at postnatal day 60. We labeled cFos to evaluate neural activity after the social interaction test, alongside markers for PNNs and parvalbumin neurons. Using ImageJ, there were no differences in cFos, PNNs or parvalbumin neurons in the brain regions in the males. Ongoing data collection aims to examine sex differences in neural activity by completing analyses in female offspring, but this suggests that prenatal opioid exposure may not directly impact PNNs activity in the male offspring. We also plan to incorporate more advanced imaging analysis methods using newly acquired Imaris software.