BIO

Chioma Uchegbu is a third year student at Florida State University majoring in Biological Sciences. She was born in Nigeria and raised in Orlando, Florida. Her goal is to pursue a career in medicine. She aspires to work as an Obstetrician and Gynecologist.

Changes in Adult Behavior Following Prenatal Fentanyl Exposure

Abstract

Opioid abuse and addiction are among the most prominent public health crises in the United States, with a significant increase in the use of more potent, synthetic opioids like fentanyl. However, the long-term effects of fentanyl exposure during pregnancy have not been fully explored. This study investigates the biological and physiological implications that prenatal fentanyl exposure has on the development of mice. To address this question, a number of behavioral assays were performed on control and fentanyl-treated mice. Findings showed a significant difference between the litter sizes between control and fentanyl treatment groups, as well as a sex-specific difference in body weight following fentanyl treatment. Fentanyl-exposed mice exhibited greater anxiety-like behavior and showed a deficit in social dominance. These data indicate that in utero fentanyl exposure has long-term effects on behavior.

Keywords: opioid crisis, fentanyl, social dominance, anxiety