Effect of prenatal stress on level of NMDA receptor in neocortex of infantile rats with spasms

Objective To study the correlation between gestational stress and pathogenesis of spasms in infantile rats. Methods A rat spasm mode was established to perform radioligand binding assay.Eleven pregnant rats were randomly divided into control group（n=5） and stress group（n=6）.Rats in stress group were chronically stimulated until they gave birth（the pregnant rats were forced to swim in water at 4℃ for 5 minutes,once a day）.Rats in control group were not stimulated.Twelve days after they gave birth,the rats were intra-abdominally injected with N-methyl-d-aspartic acid（7mg/kg） to induce epilepsy.Levels of 3HMK-801 binding NMDA receptor and 3Hmuscimol binding GABAA receptor were measured with a stroscope.Different N-methyl-d-aspartic acid receptor levels in cortex of infantile rats were measured and compared. Results The excitable N-methyl-d-aspartic acid receptor level was higher in cortex of infantile rats of stress group than in that of those of control group. Conclusion Stress of gestational rats is correlated with the pathogenesis of spasm in infantile rats,and can increase the incidence of spasm in the offspring.