Effects of Prenatal Cnidium officinale Makino Treatment on Spatial Memory and Neurogenesis in the Hippocampus of Rat Pups Born from Maternal Rats Exposed to Noise Stress during Pregnancy

During the prenatal period, the development of the individual is influenced by a host of environmental factors. Exposure to noise stress during pregnancy was determined to result in the retardation of growth, a reduction in neurogenesis, and an impairment of spatial learning ability in the rat pups. In the present study, we have attempted to characterize the effects of prenatal treatment with Cnidium officinale Makino on spatial memory and neurogenesis in the hippocampus of rat pups born from maternal rats exposed to noise stress during pregnancy. Prenatal treatment with Cnidium officinale Makino was shown to increase neurogenesis and enhanced spatial learning ability in rat pups born from maternal rats exposed to noise stress. In this study, we have determined that prenatal treatment with Cnidium officinale Makino can stimulate spatial development and neurogenesis in the brain of the fetuses exposed to prenatal stresses.