Pregnancy's lasting imprint: Late pregnancy allopregnanolone alters rat fear recall and medial prefrontal cortex activity

This study explores how pregnancy and the postpartum period affect fear memory and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) activity in female rats. It was found that both pregnant and parous rats have impaired fear recall compared to nulliparous controls, with significant changes in mPFC activity. These changes are likely driven by elevated levels of the neurosteroid allopregnanolone during late pregnancy, which modulates GABAA receptors. Blocking allopregnanolone synthesis with Finasteride improved fear recall in a subset of parous rats known as Non-darters, suggesting a causal role of this neurosteroid in cognitive changes. The study highlights the importance of considering reproductive experience in neuroscience research to better understand long-term cognitive function.