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Published on: June 29, 2013
Assessment of learning ability and behaviour in low birthweight lambs following intrauterine growth restriction
E J Camm1, M E Gibbs, M L Cock
1Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Vic, Australia. emily.camm@med.monash.edu.au
Insights
Low birthweight (LBW) lambs exhibited learning and behavioral deficits in early postnatal development, taking longer to complete tasks and making more errors. These deficits suggest potential long-term impacts of intrauterine growth restriction.
Area of Science:
- Animal behavior
- Developmental neuroscience
- Perinatal medicine
Background:
- Low birthweight (LBW) and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) are associated with developmental challenges.
- Understanding the impact of LBW on early learning and behavior is crucial for identifying potential interventions.
- Previous research suggests LBW may affect cognitive and motor skills in various species.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess learning ability and behavior in postnatal lambs with induced LBW.
- To examine the effects of LBW and age on performance in behavioral tasks.
- To investigate the hypothesis that IUGR and LBW lead to learning and behavioral deficits.
Main Methods:
- Induced LBW in lambs via umbilico-placental embolization.
- Utilized behavioral tasks: simple maze, obstacle course, and T-maze.
- Compared performance of 6 LBW lambs and 6 control lambs aged 2-6 weeks.
Main Results:
- LBW lambs showed slower completion times and more errors in the simple maze and obstacle course.
- Performance improved with age in both groups, but LBW lambs consistently lagged.
- No significant differences were observed in the T-maze task.
Conclusions:
- LBW lambs exhibit deficits in learning and behavior during the early postnatal period.
- Premature birth, potentially linked to LBW, may contribute to these observed differences.
- The study highlights the utility of specific behavioral tasks for assessing early-life developmental impacts in lambs.
Abstract:
The present study used behavioural tasks to assess learning ability and behaviour in postnatal lambs, and to examine the effects of low birthweight (LBW) and age on subsequent performance. It was hypothesized that intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and LBW lead to learning and behavioural deficits in the early postnatal period. IUGR and LBW were induced by umbilico-placental embolization from 120 days of gestational age (g.a.) to the onset of labour. Behavioural studies were performed on 6 LBW and 6 control lambs between 2 and 6 weeks after birth. LBW lambs were born at 139+/-1 days g.a. (2.4+/-0.2 kg) and control lambs were born at 149+/-1 days g.a. (4.5+/-0.4 kg). Three tasks were used to assess the learning ability and behaviour of the lambs: a simple maze, an obstacle course, and a T-maze. LBW lambs took longer to complete the simple maze at all ages, and made a greater number of errors at Week 1 of testing compared to control lambs; the total trial duration and number of errors decreased with age for both groups. In the obstacle course, the times taken to complete the first and third trials were used for analysis; a decrease in trial time and the number of errors from Trial 1 to Trial 3 were indications of the lamb's ability to learn how to negotiate the objects within the course. LBW lambs recorded longer trial durations for the first trial at Week 5 of testing, and for the third trial at Week 4. LBW lambs made more errors for the first trial at Week 5 of testing than control lambs. In the T-maze, there was no significant effect of treatment or age. It was concluded that differences between the groups may have been the result of LBW lambs being prematurely born. The value of these tasks in the assessment of learning ability and behaviour in young lambs is discussed.
