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Grzęda E, Matuszewska J, Ziarniak K, Gertig-Kolasa A, Krzyśko- Pieczka I, Skowrońska B, Sliwowska JH. Animal Foetal Models of Obesity and Diabetes - From Laboratory to Clinical Settings. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:785674. [PMID: 35197931 PMCID: PMC8858803 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.785674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The prenatal period, during which a fully formed newborn capable of surviving outside its mother's body is built from a single cell, is critical for human development. It is also the time when the foetus is particularly vulnerable to environmental factors, which may modulate the course of its development. Both epidemiological and animal studies have shown that foetal programming of physiological systems may alter the growth and function of organs and lead to pathology in adulthood. Nutrition is a particularly important environmental factor for the pregnant mother as it affects the condition of offspring. Numerous studies have shown that an unbalanced maternal metabolic status (under- or overnutrition) may cause long-lasting physiological and behavioural alterations, resulting in metabolic disorders, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Various diets are used in laboratory settings in order to induce maternal obesity and metabolic disorders, and to alter the offspring development. The most popular models are: high-fat, high-sugar, high-fat-high-sugar, and cafeteria diets. Maternal undernutrition models are also used, which results in metabolic problems in offspring. Similarly to animal data, human studies have shown the influence of mothers' diets on the development of children. There is a strong link between the maternal diet and the birth weight, metabolic state, changes in the cardiovascular and central nervous system of the offspring. The mechanisms linking impaired foetal development and adult diseases remain under discussion. Epigenetic mechanisms are believed to play a major role in prenatal programming. Additionally, sexually dimorphic effects on offspring are observed. Therefore, further research on both sexes is necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia Grzęda
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Julia Matuszewska
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Kamil Ziarniak
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland
- Molecular and Cell Biology Unit, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Anna Gertig-Kolasa
- Department of Paediatric Diabetes and Obesity, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Izabela Krzyśko- Pieczka
- Department of Paediatric Diabetes and Obesity, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Bogda Skowrońska
- Department of Paediatric Diabetes and Obesity, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Joanna H. Sliwowska
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland
- *Correspondence: Joanna H. Sliwowska,
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Rushmore RJ, McGaughy JA, Amaral AC, Mokler DJ, Morgane PJ, Galler JR, Rosene DL. The neural basis of attentional alterations in prenatally protein malnourished rats. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:497-512. [PMID: 33099611 PMCID: PMC7947171 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein malnutrition during gestation alters brain development and produces specific behavioral and cognitive changes that persist into adulthood and increase the risks of neuropsychiatric disorders. Given evidence for the role of the prefrontal cortex in such diseases, it is significant that studies in humans and animal models have shown that prenatal protein malnutrition specifically affects functions associated with prefrontal cortex. However, the neural basis underlying these changes is unclear. In the current study, prenatally malnourished and control rats performed a sustained attention task with an unpredictable distractor, a task that depends on intact prefrontal cortical function. Radiolabeled 2-deoxyglucose was used to measure neural and brain network activity during the task. Results confirmed that adult prenatally malnourished rats were more distractible than controls and exhibited lower functional activity in prefrontal cortices. Thus, prefrontal activity was a predictor of task performance in controls but not prenatally malnourished animals. Instead, prenatally malnourished animals relied on different brain networks involving limbic structures such as the hippocampus. These results provide evidence that protein reduction during brain development has more wide-reaching effects on brain networks than previously appreciated, resulting in the formation of brain networks that may reflect compensatory responses in prenatally malnourished brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- R J Rushmore
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston MA
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - J A McGaughy
- Department of Psychology, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH
| | - A C Amaral
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston MA
| | - D J Mokler
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of New England, Biddeford ME
| | - P J Morgane
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of New England, Biddeford ME
| | - J R Galler
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, USA
| | - D L Rosene
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston MA
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Rushmore RJ, McGaughy JA, Mokler DJ, Rosene DL. The enduring effect of prenatal protein malnutrition on brain anatomy, physiology and behavior. Nutr Neurosci 2020; 25:1392-1399. [PMID: 33314995 DOI: 10.1080/1028415x.2020.1859730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
There is increasing evidence that the maternal environment exerts enduring influences on the fetal brain. In response to certain environmental stimuli such as reduced protein content, the fetus changes the course of its brain development, which leads to specific and programed changes in brain anatomy and physiology. These alterations produce a brain with a fundamentally altered organization, which then translates to alterations in adult cognitive function. The effects on brain and behavior may be linked, such that a prenatal stimulus relays a signal to alter brain development and encourage the selection and development of brain circuits and behaviors that would be beneficial for the environment in which the animal was anticipated to emerge. At the same time, the signal would deselect behaviors unlikely to be adaptive. We draw on evidence from rodent models to suggest that the brain that develops after a reduction in protein during the prenatal phase is not uniformly dysfunctional, but simply different. This perspective has implications for the role of prenatal factors in the production and expression of behavior, and may account for the elevation of risk factors for neurological and psychiatric illnesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- R J Rushmore
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.,Psychiatric Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Center for Morphometric Analysis, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - J A McGaughy
- Department of Psychology, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
| | - D J Mokler
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of New England, Biddeford, ME, USA
| | - D L Rosene
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
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Moody L, Chen H, Pan YX. Early-Life Nutritional Programming of Cognition-The Fundamental Role of Epigenetic Mechanisms in Mediating the Relation between Early-Life Environment and Learning and Memory Process. Adv Nutr 2017; 8:337-350. [PMID: 28298276 PMCID: PMC5347110 DOI: 10.3945/an.116.014209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The perinatal period is a window of heightened plasticity that lays the groundwork for future anatomic, physiologic, and behavioral outcomes. During this time, maternal diet plays a pivotal role in the maturation of vital organs and the establishment of neuronal connections. However, when perinatal nutrition is either lacking in specific micro- and macronutrients or overloaded with excess calories, the consequences can be devastating and long lasting. The brain is particularly sensitive to perinatal insults, with several neurologic and psychiatric disorders having been linked to a poor in utero environment. Diseases characterized by learning and memory impairments, such as autism, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer disease, are hypothesized to be attributed in part to environmental factors, and evidence suggests that the etiology of these conditions may date back to very early life. In this review, we discuss the role of the early-life diet in shaping cognitive outcomes in offspring. We explore the endocrine and immune mechanisms responsible for these phenotypes and discuss how these systemic factors converge to change the brain's epigenetic landscape and regulate learning and memory across the lifespan. Through understanding the maternal programming of cognition, critical steps may be taken toward preventing and treating diseases that compromise learning and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hong Chen
- Division of Nutritional Sciences,,Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, and
| | - Yuan-Xiang Pan
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, .,Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, and.,Illinois Informatics Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL
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Amaral AC, Jakovcevski M, McGaughy JA, Calderwood SK, Mokler DJ, Rushmore RJ, Galler JR, Akbarian SA, Rosene DL. Prenatal protein malnutrition decreases KCNJ3 and 2DG activity in rat prefrontal cortex. Neuroscience 2014; 286:79-86. [PMID: 25446346 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2014] [Revised: 10/08/2014] [Accepted: 11/04/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal protein malnutrition (PPM) in rats causes enduring changes in brain and behavior including increased cognitive rigidity and decreased inhibitory control. A preliminary gene microarray screen of PPM rat prefrontal cortex (PFC) identified alterations in KCNJ3 (GIRK1/Kir3.1), a gene important for regulating neuronal excitability. Follow-up with polymerase chain reaction and Western blot showed decreased KCNJ3 expression in the PFC, but not hippocampus or brainstem. To verify localization of the effect to the PFC, baseline regional brain activity was assessed with (14)C-2-deoxyglucose. Results showed decreased activation in the PFC but not hippocampus. Together these findings point to the unique vulnerability of the PFC to the nutritional insult during early brain development, with enduring effects in adulthood on KCNJ3 expression and baseline metabolic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- A C Amaral
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, United States.
| | | | - J A McGaughy
- Department of Psychology, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, United States
| | - S K Calderwood
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, United States
| | - D J Mokler
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of New England, Biddeford, ME 02120, United States
| | - R J Rushmore
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, United States
| | - J R Galler
- Judge Baker Children's Center and Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02120, United States
| | - S A Akbarian
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States; Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States
| | - D L Rosene
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, United States
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Chaudhary R, Chugh M, Darokhan Z, Katreddi RR, Ramachandra R, Rema V. Physiological slowing and upregulation of inhibition in cortex are correlated with behavioral deficits in protein malnourished rats. PLoS One 2013; 8:e76556. [PMID: 24098531 PMCID: PMC3789706 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0076556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2013] [Accepted: 08/27/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein malnutrition during early development has been correlated with cognitive and learning disabilities in children, but the neuronal deficits caused by long-term protein deficiency are not well understood. We exposed rats from gestation up to adulthood to a protein-deficient (PD) diet, to emulate chronic protein malnutrition in humans. The offspring exhibited significantly impaired performance on the 'Gap-crossing' (GC) task after reaching maturity, a behavior that has been shown to depend on normal functioning of the somatosensory cortex. The physiological state of the somatosensory cortex was examined to determine neuronal correlates of the deficits in behavior. Extracellular multi-unit recording from layer 4 (L4) neurons that receive direct thalamocortical inputs and layers 2/3 (L2/3) neurons that are dominated by intracortical connections in the whisker-barrel cortex of PD rats exhibited significantly low spontaneous activity and depressed responses to whisker stimulation. L4 neurons were more severely affected than L2/3 neurons. The response onset was significantly delayed in L4 cells. The peak response latency of L4 and L2/3 neurons was delayed significantly. In L2/3 and L4 of the barrel cortex there was a substantial increase in GAD65 (112% over controls) and much smaller increase in NMDAR1 (12-20%), suggesting enhanced inhibition in the PD cortex. These results show that chronic protein deficiency negatively affects both thalamo-cortical and cortico-cortical transmission during somatosensory information processing. The findings support the interpretation that sustained protein deficiency interferes with features of cortical sensory processing that are likely to underlie the cognitive impairments reported in humans who have suffered from prolonged protein deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Manisha Chugh
- National Brain Research Centre, Manesar, Haryana, India
| | | | | | | | - V. Rema
- National Brain Research Centre, Manesar, Haryana, India
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7
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Partadiredja G, Bedi KS. Mice undernourished before, but not after, weaning perform better in motor coordination and spatial learning tasks than well-fed controls. Nutr Neurosci 2013; 14:129-37. [DOI: 10.1179/147683011x13009738172486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
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Partadiredja G, Bedi K. Undernutrition during the gestation and suckling periods does not cause any loss of pyramidal neurons in the CA2–CA3 region of the rat hippocampus. Nutr Neurosci 2013; 13:102-8. [DOI: 10.1179/147683010x12611460764165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
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9
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Lister JP, Blatt GJ, Kemper TL, Tonkiss J, DeBassio WA, Galler JR, Rosene DL. Prenatal protein malnutrition alters the proportion but not numbers of parvalbumin-immunoreactive interneurons in the hippocampus of the adult Sprague-Dawley rat. Nutr Neurosci 2012; 14:165-78. [PMID: 21902887 DOI: 10.1179/147683011x13009738172396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal protein malnutrition alters the structure and function of the adult rat hippocampal formation. The current study examines the effect of prenatal protein malnutrition on numbers of parvalbumin-immunoreactive (PV-IR) GABAergic interneurons, which are important for perisomatic inhibition of hippocampal pyramidal neurons. Brain sections from prenatally protein malnourished and normally nourished rats were stained for parvalbumin and PV-IR neurons were quantified using stereology in the dentate gyrus, CA3/2 and CA1 subfields, and the subiculum for both cerebral hemispheres. Results demonstrated that prenatal malnutrition did not affect the number of PV-IR interneurons in the hippocampus. Since prenatal protein malnutrition reduces total neuron numbers in the CA1 subfield (1), this results in an altered ratio of PV-IR interneurons to total neuronal numbers (from 1:22.9 in controls to 1:20.5 in malnourished rats). Additionally, there was no hemispheric asymmetry of either PV-IR neuron numbers or ratio of PV-IR:total neuron numbers.
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Affiliation(s)
- James P Lister
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
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10
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Wei S, Xia D, Li L, Xiao J, Bao J, Parvizi N, Zhao R. Breed-specific expression of hippocampal 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases and glucocorticoid receptors in Erhualian and Pietrain pigs exhibiting distinct stress coping characteristics. Livest Sci 2010. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2010.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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11
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Thomas JE, Hill DL. The effects of dietary protein restriction on chorda tympani nerve taste responses and terminal field organization. Neuroscience 2008; 157:329-39. [PMID: 18845228 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2008.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2006] [Revised: 08/13/2008] [Accepted: 09/01/2008] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal dietary sodium restriction produces profound developmental effects on rat functional taste responses and formation of neural circuits in the brainstem. Converging evidence indicates that the underlying mechanisms for these effects are related to a compromised nutritional state and not to direct stimulus-receptor interactions. We explored whether early malnourishment produces similar functional and structural effects to those seen following dietary sodium restriction by using a protein deficient, sodium replete diet. To determine if early dietary protein-restriction affects the development of the peripheral gustatory system, multi-fiber neurophysiological recordings were made from the chorda tympani nerve and anterograde track tracing of the chorda tympani nerve into the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) was accomplished in rats fed a protein-restricted or a control diet (6% and 20%, respectively). The dietary regimens began on embryonic day 7 and continued until rats were used for neurophysiological recordings (postnatal days (P) 35-50) or for chorda tympani terminal field labeling (P40-50). Responses to a concentration series of NaCl, sodium acetate, KCl, and to 0.50 M sucrose, 0.03 M quinine-HCl, and 0.01 N HCl revealed attenuated responses (30-60%) to sodium-specific stimuli in rats fed the 6% protein diet compared with those fed the 20% protein diet. Responses to all other stimuli were similar between groups. Terminal field volumes were nearly twofold larger in protein-restricted rats compared with controls, with the differences located primarily in the dorsal-caudal zone of the terminal field. These results are similar to the results seen previously in rats fed a sodium-restricted diet throughout pre- and postnatal development, suggesting that dietary sodium- and protein-restriction share similar mechanisms in altering gustatory development.
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Affiliation(s)
- J E Thomas
- Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, 1101 East Marshall Street, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
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12
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Díaz-Cintra S, González-Maciel A, Morales MA, Aguilar A, Cintra L, Prado-Alcalá RA. Protein malnutrition differentially alters the number of glutamic acid decarboxylase-67 interneurons in dentate gyrus and CA1–3 subfields of the dorsal hippocampus. Exp Neurol 2007; 208:47-53. [PMID: 17706195 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2007.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2007] [Revised: 06/28/2007] [Accepted: 07/04/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
In 30- and 90-day-old rats, using immunohistochemistry for glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 (GAD-67), we have tested whether malnutrition during different periods of hippocampal development produces deleterious effects on the population of GABA neurons in the dentate gyrus (DG) and cornu Ammonis (CA1-3) of the dorsal hippocampus. Animals were under one of four nutritional conditions: well-nourished controls (Con), prenatal protein malnourished (PreM), postnatal protein malnourished (PostM), and chronic protein malnourished (ChroM). We found that the number of GAD-67-positive (GAD-67+) interneurons was higher in the DG than in the CA1-3 areas of both Con and malnourished groups. Regarding the DG, the number of GAD-67+ interneurons was increased in PreM and PostM and decreased in ChroM at 30 days. At 90 days of age the number of GAD-67+ interneurons was increased in PostM and ChroM and remained unchanged in PreM. With respect to CA1-3, the number of labeled interneurons was decreased in PostM and ChroM at 30 days of age, but no change was found in PreM. At 90 days no changes in the number of these interneurons were found in any of the groups. These observations suggest that 1) the cell death program starting point is delayed in DG GAD-67+ interneurons, and 2) protein malnutrition differentially affects GAD-67+ interneuron development throughout the dorsal hippocampus. Thus, these changes in the number of GAD-67+ interneurons may partly explain the alterations in modulation of dentate granule cell excitability, as well as in the emotional, motivational, and memory disturbances commonly observed in malnourished rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofía Díaz-Cintra
- Departamento de Neurobiología del Desarrollo y Neurofisiología, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, Qro., 76230, Mexico
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Fernandez F, Garner CC. Over-inhibition: a model for developmental intellectual disability. Trends Neurosci 2007; 30:497-503. [PMID: 17825437 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2007.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2007] [Revised: 07/12/2007] [Accepted: 07/16/2007] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Developmental intellectual disability (DID) is a daunting societal problem. Although tremendous progress has been made in defining the genetic causes of DID, therapeutic strategies remain limited. In particular, there is a marked absence of a unified approach to treating cognitive impairments associated with DID. Here, we suggest that the brain in many DID-related disorders is subject to a basic imbalance in neuronal activity, with an increased contribution of inhibition to neural circuits. This over-inhibition, in turn, is predicted to lead to deficits in synaptic plasticity and learning and memory. We further discuss possibilities for pharmacological intervention in DID, focusing on the concept of drug-induced 'therapeutic neuroadaptation' as a means of stably enhancing constitutive circuit excitability and cognition over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Fernandez
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Nancy Pritzker Laboratory, Stanford University, 1201 Welch Rd, Palo Alto, CA 94304-5485, USA
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Tonkiss J, Galler J. Prenatal malnutrition alters diazepam-mediated suppression of ultrasonic vocalizations in an age dependent manner. Behav Brain Res 2006; 182:337-43. [PMID: 17147960 PMCID: PMC1975860 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2006.11.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2006] [Revised: 10/20/2006] [Accepted: 11/14/2006] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The sensitivity of prenatally malnourished rats to the ultrasonic vocalization (USV) suppressant effect of diazepam (a non-specific benzodiazepine (BZ) receptor agonist) was investigated. Male offspring of dams provided with a protein deficient diet (6% casein) for 5 weeks prior to mating and throughout pregnancy were compared to the offspring of mothers provided with a diet of adequate protein content (25% casein). At postnatal day 7 or 11, pups were injected with vehicle or one of five doses of DZ (0.03, 0.1, 0.3, 1 or 3mg/kg) 30 min after removal from their dam. Thirty minutes later they were subjected to 2 min of cooling on a 20 degrees C surface and their USVs were quantified. DZ dose-dependently suppressed USV at both ages. At P7, the USV suppressant effect of DZ was the same for both groups. However, by P11 the prenatally malnourished rats showed significantly greater suppression of USV by 0.03 and 0.1mg/kg DZ than well-nourished controls. These differences were not related to degree of temperature loss or body weight. Thus, differential sensitivity to BZ receptor agonists develops in the second postnatal week in prenatally malnourished rats. This reflects either an altered program of development of the GABAergic system, or adaptive, compensatory changes in the GABAergic system in response to more extensive functional disturbances in the developing brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Tonkiss
- Center for Behavioral Development & Mental Retardation, M923, Boston University School of Medicine, 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
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15
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Durán P, Galler JR, Cintra L, Tonkiss J. Prenatal malnutrition and sleep states in adult rats: effects of restraint stress. Physiol Behav 2006; 89:156-63. [PMID: 16828813 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2006.05.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2006] [Revised: 05/23/2006] [Accepted: 05/30/2006] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Independently, prenatal malnutrition and psychological/physical stress have been shown to affect sleep architecture in adult rats. As malnutrition and stress commonly co-exist in malnourished human populations, the objective of the present study was to ascertain the combined effects of these two insults by examining sleep-wake parameters following a brief restraint stress in prenatally protein malnourished rats. The male offspring of rats provided with a protein deficient diet (6% casein) for 5 weeks prior to mating and throughout pregnancy were implanted with recording electrodes beginning at postnatal day 90. Polygraph recordings were obtained to quantify sleep states during the first 4 h of the dark phase of the cycle on 2 consecutive days. The first followed a 24-h habituation session to the recording chamber (baseline). The second occurred at the same time of day but followed 20 min of restraint stress in a Plexiglas tube. During baseline, prenatally malnourished rats spent more time in rapid eye movement sleep (REMS) in the first 2 h after "lights off" (block 1), and greater amounts of wakefulness (W) with a corresponding reduction in slow wave sleep (SWS) in the second two hours (block 2), as compared with controls. Following stress, the sleep architecture of both groups of rats remained unaltered in block 1 relative to their baseline day. In block 2, both groups exhibited significant reductions in SWS and REMS with significantly greater reductions being expressed in the prenatally malnourished group (most dramatically, REMS was completely eliminated). These findings suggest that sleep disturbances may be more severe in those malnourished human populations subjected to acutely stressful experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilar Durán
- Instituto de Neurobiología, UNAM, Campus UNAM, Juriquilla Qro., Km 15 Carr Qro-SLP, CP 76230, Mexico
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Walker CD. Nutritional aspects modulating brain development and the responses to stress in early neonatal life. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2005; 29:1249-63. [PMID: 16253410 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2005.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/26/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Nutrition is one of the critical factors insuring adequate growth and development in all species. In particular, brain development is sensitive to specific nutrient intake such as proteins and lipids, which are important for cell membrane formation and myelinization. Carbohydrate intake insures adequate short-term energy supply, but has important effects on the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to regulate stress responsiveness. This review focuses on the effects of carbohydrates and fat on the activity of the HPA axis as well as other brain-related functions such as pain modulation, neuropeptide and neurotransmitters release, and some aspects related to cognitive functions. The role of leptin, DHA and AA as mediators of the effects of fat on the brain is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire-Dominique Walker
- Douglas Hospital Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, 6875 Lasalle Blvd, Verdun, QC, Canada H4H 1R3.
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