The Effect of Passive Smoking during Pregnancy on the Central Nervous System Structure and Behaviour of the Offspring

Exposure to tobacco smoke during pregnancy is considered a major preventable risk factor for morbidity and mortality of the mother and the foetus. This study aims to investigate the effect of passive smoking during pregnancy on the structural integrity of the central nervous system (CNS) of the offs...

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Main Authors: Omar Abuzant, Waseem Khraim, Watheq Sharqia, Waleed Ajaj, Walid Basha
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: An-Najah National University 2014-09-01
Series:مجلة جامعة النجاح للأبحاث العلوم الطبيعية
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Online Access:https://journals.najah.edu/media/journals/full_texts/5_dyIGXu2.pdf
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author Omar Abuzant
Waseem Khraim
Watheq Sharqia
Waleed Ajaj
Walid Basha
author_facet Omar Abuzant
Waseem Khraim
Watheq Sharqia
Waleed Ajaj
Walid Basha
author_sort Omar Abuzant
collection DOAJ
description Exposure to tobacco smoke during pregnancy is considered a major preventable risk factor for morbidity and mortality of the mother and the foetus. This study aims to investigate the effect of passive smoking during pregnancy on the structural integrity of the central nervous system (CNS) of the offspring, and to assess their neurobehavioral functions including short term memory, anxiety and social interactions. For this 35 pregnant hamsters were divided into 5 groups, based upon the pregnancy trimesters they were exposed to smoke in (during the 1st trimester or the 2nd and 3rd trimesters together) as well as the duration of exposure (4 or 6 hours). The 35 pregnant hamsters produced 78 offspring, which were evaluated at age 8 weeks for memory function by T-maze test, anxiety using marble burying test and social behaviour by social dominance test. They were also examined by CT scan subsequently for gross structural abnormalities in the CNS. The results demonstrated that there is a significant correlation between exposure to passive smoking during the 1st trimester and the presence of short-term memory impairment (p= 0.047), as well as increasing anxiety level (p=0.024). Exposures during the 2nd and 3rd trimesters were also associated with short-term memory dysfunction, with no effect on anxiety level. CT reports showed lumbar canal stenosis in a significant number of offspring who were exposed to 6 hours of cigarette smoke during the 1st trimester of pregnancy. Our results conclude that passive smoking during pregnancy is dangerous to the CNS development of the foetus as was evident by its effect on the behaviour of the offspring and structural integrity of their CNS.
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series مجلة جامعة النجاح للأبحاث العلوم الطبيعية
spelling doaj-art-d772f5cc603e4e13b573cb7d9477ee022025-08-20T04:00:44ZengAn-Najah National Universityمجلة جامعة النجاح للأبحاث العلوم الطبيعية1727-21142311-88652014-09-01291738410.35552/anujr.a.29.1.1159The Effect of Passive Smoking during Pregnancy on the Central Nervous System Structure and Behaviour of the OffspringOmar Abuzant0Waseem Khraim1Watheq Sharqia2Waleed Ajaj3Walid Basha4Department of Physiology, School of Medicine and health sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, PalestineNoneNoneNoneFaculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, PalestineExposure to tobacco smoke during pregnancy is considered a major preventable risk factor for morbidity and mortality of the mother and the foetus. This study aims to investigate the effect of passive smoking during pregnancy on the structural integrity of the central nervous system (CNS) of the offspring, and to assess their neurobehavioral functions including short term memory, anxiety and social interactions. For this 35 pregnant hamsters were divided into 5 groups, based upon the pregnancy trimesters they were exposed to smoke in (during the 1st trimester or the 2nd and 3rd trimesters together) as well as the duration of exposure (4 or 6 hours). The 35 pregnant hamsters produced 78 offspring, which were evaluated at age 8 weeks for memory function by T-maze test, anxiety using marble burying test and social behaviour by social dominance test. They were also examined by CT scan subsequently for gross structural abnormalities in the CNS. The results demonstrated that there is a significant correlation between exposure to passive smoking during the 1st trimester and the presence of short-term memory impairment (p= 0.047), as well as increasing anxiety level (p=0.024). Exposures during the 2nd and 3rd trimesters were also associated with short-term memory dysfunction, with no effect on anxiety level. CT reports showed lumbar canal stenosis in a significant number of offspring who were exposed to 6 hours of cigarette smoke during the 1st trimester of pregnancy. Our results conclude that passive smoking during pregnancy is dangerous to the CNS development of the foetus as was evident by its effect on the behaviour of the offspring and structural integrity of their CNS.https://journals.najah.edu/media/journals/full_texts/5_dyIGXu2.pdfbehavioral developmentcns integrity.passive smoking
spellingShingle Omar Abuzant
Waseem Khraim
Watheq Sharqia
Waleed Ajaj
Walid Basha
The Effect of Passive Smoking during Pregnancy on the Central Nervous System Structure and Behaviour of the Offspring
مجلة جامعة النجاح للأبحاث العلوم الطبيعية
behavioral development
cns integrity.
passive smoking
title The Effect of Passive Smoking during Pregnancy on the Central Nervous System Structure and Behaviour of the Offspring
title_full The Effect of Passive Smoking during Pregnancy on the Central Nervous System Structure and Behaviour of the Offspring
title_fullStr The Effect of Passive Smoking during Pregnancy on the Central Nervous System Structure and Behaviour of the Offspring
title_full_unstemmed The Effect of Passive Smoking during Pregnancy on the Central Nervous System Structure and Behaviour of the Offspring
title_short The Effect of Passive Smoking during Pregnancy on the Central Nervous System Structure and Behaviour of the Offspring
title_sort effect of passive smoking during pregnancy on the central nervous system structure and behaviour of the offspring
topic behavioral development
cns integrity.
passive smoking
url https://journals.najah.edu/media/journals/full_texts/5_dyIGXu2.pdf
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