Effects of prenatal exposure to benzodiazepine-related drugs on early development and adult social behaviour in Swiss mice--II. Antagonists.

1. The present experiment examined, using a battery of tests, the effects of in utero exposure of Swiss mice to the benzodiazepine antagonists Ro 15-1788 and CGS 8216 upon early development and adult behaviour. 2. Early development was facilitated by treatment of Ro 15-1788. CGS 8216 suppressed during later development. Effects on the righting reflex were seen on different postnatal days following exposure to different treatments. The other factors studied remained unaffected. 3. Effects on adult social behaviour were examined using the resident-intruder paradigm, by determining the time allocated to broad behavioural categories. Increases in attack and threat in male offspring of dams treated with Ro 15-1788 and CGS 8216 were found. Female offspring differed from controls in digging and defensive/submissive behaviour.