The importance of the period of dietary restriction of the dam on behavior and growth in the rat
Hsueh, A.M.; Simonson, M.; Chow, B.F.; Hanson, H.M.
Journal of Nutrition 104(1): 37-46
1974
ISSN/ISBN: 0022-3166 PMID: 4809065 Document Number: 76111
Rats were fed freely or restricted to 50% of free intake during pregnancy and lactation. Litters were restricted to 8 young. From day 22 of lactation the restricted rats were fed freely. The day after birth some offspring of both groups were transferred to a foster mother of the opposite group. From 28 days old all the young were given a stock diet to appetite. Restriction of feed intake of mothers during pregnancy alone led to offspring with low birthweight, slight permanent stunting and impaired learning ability. Restriction of the mother's intake during lactation led to offspring with severe permanent stunting, a higher feed intake per unit metabolic mass than the normal offspring but with normal learning ability assessed with an elevated T maze. The results show a dissociation between growth stunting and behaviour aberrations in the offspring. The occurrence and type of damage depend on the period in which dietary restriction is imposed on the mother.