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UNDERNUTRITION IN EARLY LIFE DOES NOT IMPAIR LEARNING IN YOUNG OR AGING RATS.
Citation:
BALDWIN, J. E., N. CHERNOFF, M. GAGE, R. C. MACPHAIL, AND M. E. GILBERT. UNDERNUTRITION IN EARLY LIFE DOES NOT IMPAIR LEARNING IN YOUNG OR AGING RATS. Presented at Neurobehavioral Toxicology Society, Pittsburgh, PA, June 23 - 27, 2007.
Description:
Prenatal undernutrition is associated with increased incidence of obesity, heart disease, diabetes. Effects of pre- and post-natal undernutrition on nervous system function in middle-aged and aging male SD rats were examined. Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) was induced by restricting food in pregnant dams to 50% of control intake. Postnatal undernutrition (PUN) was induced by fostering newborns to control dams in large (n=16 pups) compared to small (n=8 pups) litters, producing 4 treatment gps (Con-Con, IUGR-Con, Con-PUN, IUGR-PUN). Body weight was monitored and tests of motor activity and hippocampal-based learning were performed in adults. Weight reductions were evident in all treated gps in early life, and were maintained at 12m in IUGR-PUN gp. Weight gain in excess of controls was not observed. Fear conditioning was induced at 6 and 12m by pairing a neutral conditioning (CS) and aversive unconditioned (US) stimulus. No gp differences were detected in context or cue conditioning at either age. Spatial learning was evaluated at 12m in a Morris water maze. Differences in latency to locate a hidden platform were not detected. These data do not support existing reports of prenatal programming on offspring weight gain, or provide evidence of compromised cognitive function in young or aging animals in response to undernutrition.
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