Prenatal diazepam exposure impairs maternal caregiving behaviors in rats: Roles of GABAARα1 downregulation, serotonin depletion, and corticosterone dysregulation.

This study investigated effects of prenatal exposure to diazepam on maternal and caregiving behaviors in rats postpartum.Twenty-four female rats were randomly divided into two groups: diazepam group and control group. Diazepam was administered during, and maternal behaviors were observed and recorded after delivery. Serum corticosterone levels during pregnancy, GABAARα1 expression, and serotonin and BDNF concentrations were measured in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of the dams. The results showed that mothers exposed to diazepam exhibited a significant reduction in self-grooming (p = 0.0016), nursing (p < 0.0001), and nest-building behaviors (p < 0.0001) compared to the control group. Additionally, diazepam group showed fewer instances of pup retrieval (p = 0.0032) and licking (p = 0.0019). A significant increase in the latency to retrieve pups was observed in the diazepam group (p < 0.0001). The findings demonstrate a significant decrease in GABAARα1 mRNA expression within the prefrontal cortex (P = 0.0023) and hippocampus (P = 0.0138) of diazepam-treated group compared to the control group. Dams in the diazepam group exhibited significantly lower serum corticosterone levels at gestational day 20 (p = 0.0288) and postnatal day 1 (p = 0.0009) compared to the control group. Additionally, serotonin concentration in the prefrontal cortex (p = 0.0036) was significantly reduced in the diazepam group relative to controls.The present study demonstrated that prenatal diazepam exposure significantly impaired maternal caregiving behaviors in rats. These behavioral deficits were associated with disrupted serum corticosterone levels, diminished prefrontal serotonin concentrations, and reduced GABAARα1 mRNA expression in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. The findings suggest that diazepam interferes with neurochemical pathways critical for maternal motivation, potentially weakening maternal-infant bonding.