Maternal exposure to fluoxetine during gestation and lactation does not alter plasma concentrations of testosterone, oestrogen or corticosterone in peripubertal offspring
Matheus A. Barbosa A , Luiz F. Veríssimo A , Daniela C. C. Gerardin A , Gislaine G. Pelosi A , Graziela S. Ceravolo A and Estefania G. Moreira A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Department of Physiological Sciences, Biological Sciences Center, State University of Londrina, PR-445, Km 380, PR, Brazil.
B Corresponding author. Email: egmoreira@uel.br
Reproduction, Fertility and Development 31(5) 1002-1008 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD18279
Submitted: 19 July 2018 Accepted: 2 January 2019 Published: 21 February 2019
Abstract
Antidepressants are widely used around the world, primarily for the treatment of mood disorders, anxiety and pain syndromes. Women who use antidepressants often continue to use them during pregnancy. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, including fluoxetine, are the main class of antidepressants prescribed to pregnant women. It is known that fluoxetine crosses the placental–blood barrier and is excreted in breast milk. Consequently, indirect exposure of the infant occurs. Knowing that fluoxetine alters the balance of neurotransmitters in the central nervous system, several studies have shown that maternal exposure to this drug leads to various adverse effects on the nervous, reproductive and cardiovascular systems of the offspring. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of exposure to fluoxetine during gestation and lactation on parameters related to steroid hormones in prepubertal and pubertal male and female rats. The endpoints evaluated were date of puberty onset, plasma testosterone and oestrogen concentrations before and after puberty onset and corticosterone concentration before and after adrenocorticotrophin stimulus. None of the parameters was affected by fluoxetine exposure.
Additional keyword: steroidogenesis.
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