ABSTRACT
We previously reported that prenatal exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES) impaired passive avoidance responses in mice. Apart from the above, we also found that cloperastine, a centrally acting antitussive, ameliorated depression-like and anxiety-like behaviors in rodents at antitussive-effective doses. In this study, we investigated whether or not cloperastine rescues impairment of passive avoidance responses in mice prenatally exposed to DES. Male DES-exposed mice were subcutaneously administered cloperastine at 10 or 30 mg/kg twice a day from 32 to 41 days after birth and subjected to behavioral testing 42 to 46 days after birth. Cloperastine at 10 and 30 mg/kg ameliorated DES-induced impairment of passive avoidance responses. In addition, cloperastine affected the levels of 5-HT1A receptors, GIRK and BDNF in the hippocampus of DES-exposed mice. However, the number of BrdU-positive cells in the hippocampus of DES-exposed mice was not changed by chronic administration of cloperastine. These findings suggest that the action of endocrine disruptors in the brain may not always be irreversible, and that the symptoms caused by endocrine disruptors might be curable with drugs such as cloperastine.
