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Hyperglycaemia in pregnancy: effects on the offspring behaviour with special reference to anxiety paradigms
M Ramanathan1, A K Jaiswal, S K Bhattacharya
1Department of Pharmacology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.
Insights
Maternal diabetes in rats can lead to anxiety-like behaviors in offspring. This study found that offspring exposed to a diabetic environment in utero exhibited emotional and anxious behaviors, highlighting the impact of prenatal conditions on development.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Maternal hyperglycemia during pregnancy is a known risk factor for adverse offspring outcomes.
- The prenatal environment significantly influences neurodevelopment and subsequent behavior.
- Understanding the long-term effects of maternal diabetes on offspring behavior is crucial for preventative strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of maternal diabetes on the behavior of offspring.
- To assess anxiety-related behaviors in offspring from mothers with streptozotocin-induced diabetes.
- To determine if paternal or maternal diabetes status influences offspring behavioral outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Rats were induced with diabetes using streptozotocin (STZ).
- Offspring were obtained from three mating groups: normal father/diabetic mother (NFDM), diabetic father/normal mother (DFNM), and diabetic father/diabetic mother (DFDM).
- Offspring behavior was assessed at 8 weeks using open field, elevated plus maze, zero maze, and social interaction tests.
Main Results:
- Offspring from NFDM and DFDM groups displayed anxiogenic behavior in elevated plus maze, zero maze, and social interaction tests.
- NFDM and DFDM offspring exhibited hyperactive and emotional behavior in the open field test.
- Mild hyperglycemia was observed in NFDM and DFDM offspring; DFNM offspring showed no significant behavioral alterations.
Conclusions:
- Exposure to a diabetic maternal environment during fetal development can induce anxiogenic and emotional behaviors in adult offspring.
- Maternal diabetes, rather than paternal, appears to be the primary driver of these behavioral changes.
- Prenatal exposure to maternal hyperglycemia has lasting effects on offspring neurobehavioral development.
Abstract:
Maternal hyperglycemic effect was studied on the offspring behaviour. Offspring were obtained from diabetic rats by mating a normal father with a diabetic mother (NFDM), diabetic father with normal mother (DFNM) and diabetic father with diabetic mother (DFDM). Rats were rendered diabetic by injecting streptozotocin (STZ, 50 mg/kg i.p.) in citrate buffer. Offspring were subjected to various anxiety parameters including open field exploratory behaviour, elevated plus maze and zero maze behaviours, and the social interaction tests at the age of 8 weeks. The results indicate that offspring of NFDM and DFDM showed anxiogenic activity on the elevated plus maze zero maze and the social interaction test. Offspring of NFDM and DFDM exhibited hyper and emotional activity in the open field behaviour test. The behavioural alterations observed in the offspring were comparable to the behavioural alterations noted in STZ diabetic rat as reported earlier. Further offspring of NFDM and DFDM exhibited mild hyperglycaemia. No significant behavioural alterations in the offspring of DFNM were observed. It may be concluded, that exposure of offspring to diabetic environment in their foetal life can lead to anxiogenic/emotional behaviours in adult life.