Neonatal programming of rat behavior by downregulation of alpha2A-adrenoreceptor gene expression in the brain.

Short-term knockdown of alpha2A-adrenergic receptor gene expression in the rat brain by siRNA or antisense oligodeoxynucleotide during the first days of life induced acute and long-lasting neurochemical and behavioral alterations. The acute effects in the neonatal rats were consistent with the known functions of the alpha2A-adrenergic receptors in the mature animals. The long-lasting alterations suggested involvement of receptor-specific gene expression during the critical period of brain development in early-life programming of anxiety-related behavior.