Role of epigenetic mechanisms in transmitting the effects of neonatal sevoflurane exposure to the next generation of male but not female rats

摘要

BackgroundClinical studies report learning disabilities and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders in those exposed to general anaesthesia early in life. Rats, primarily males, exposed to GABAergic anaesthetics as neonates exhibit behavioural abnormalities, exacerbated responses to stress, and reduced expression of hypothalamic K⁺-2Cl⁻ Cl⁻ exporter (Kcc2). The latter is implicated in development of psychiatric disorders, including male predominant autism spectrum disorders. We tested whether parental early life exposure to sevoflurane, the most frequently used anaesthetic in paediatrics, affects the next generation of unexposed rats.