Brain endogenous opioid system status in offspring exposed to fentanyl in utero (RPA Pilot / Seed Project)

In 2022, CDC statistics showed 106,699 opioid-related overdose deaths, 70% caused by fentanyl (FEN). Many women of childbearing age are afflicted as opioid use disorder (OUD) diagnoses during pregnancy increased 4-fold, leading to a 5-fold increase in neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) incidence. However, the long-term impact of OUD on the offspring’s well-being has been understudied, constituting a missed opportunity to reduce the transplacental effects of opioids on drug-seeking behavior and the activation of the sympathetic nervous system linked to opioid withdrawal to hinder the uncontrolled growth of the opioid epidemic. Preclinical studies are critical for producing translational science that aims to reduce the susceptibility to drug abuse-related health issues in vulnerable populations such as pregnant women and children, halting the progression of the opioid crisis.Our recently published study shows that adult offspring exposed to morphine in utero developed neurogenic hypertension. Thus, our central hypothesis is that prenatal exposure to FEN dysregulates the EOS, programming neural mechanisms that increase drug-seeking behavior and neurogenic hypertension in the adult offspring.