Modeling prenatal opioid exposure in animals: Current findings and future directions

Abstract

The past decade has seen a drastic rise in the number of infants exposed to opioids in utero. It is unclear what lasting effect this exposure may have on these children. Animal models of prenatal opioid exposure may provide insight into potential areas of vulnerability. The present review summarizes the findings across animal models of prenatal opioid exposure, including exposure to morphine, methadone, buprenorphine, and oxycodone. Details regarding the drug, doses, and duration of treatment, as well as key findings, are summarized in tables with associated references. Finally, significant gaps in the current preclinical literature and future directions are discussed.

Keywords: Buprenorphine; Development; HPA; Methadone; Morphine; Mu receptor; Oxycodone; Postnatal; Transgenerational.

Figure 1

The number of scientific publications from 2006–2016 as referenced in PubMed that use the phrase “opioid epidemic” in the title.