Understanding the effects of gestational fentanyl exposure on external morphology, neonatal opioid withdrawal, and brain volume, morphology and neurochemistry of offspring

Abstract / Project Summary The opioid epidemic has impacted the lives of millions of individuals, including women that use opioids, such as fentanyl, during pregnancy putting the fetus at risk. A shocking NBC news story in late 2023 reported on a clinical case study that indicates a novel syndrome in babies exposed to fentanyl during pregnancy may have been found. However, polysubstance use in humans often complicates research, which may be the case here; therefore, an urgent need exists to determine the effects of gestational exposure to fentanyl (alone) on offspring well-being. In response to this need, we propose a set of studies using a rodent gestational exposure model to measure the effects of fentanyl during pregnancy on offspring at birth through early development. Our central hypothesis is that gestational fentanyl exposure causes malformation of the body and brain and abnormal behavior in offspring. We will test this hypothesis by determining the impact of gestational fentanyl exposure on morbidity and mortality, developmental milestones, external morphology, blood cholesterol, brain morphogen signaling, and neonatal opioid withdrawal and related behavioral measures in offspring. Furthermore, we will determine the impact of gestational fentanyl exposure on brain volume, morphology, and neurochemistry of offspring using magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy in vivo. The results of these studies will directly impact the clinical situation and our understanding of the direct role of gestational exposure to fentanyl in the reported cases indicating that a newly discovered fetal fentanyl syndrome may exist.