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Updated: Aug 13, 2026
Neurodevelopmental Reflex Testing in Neonatal Rat Pups
Published on: April 24, 2017
Effect of undernutrition and subsequent rehabilitation on brain 5-HT (serotonin) profile of developing newborn rats
1Clinical Research Unit (H), Centre of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, and Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi - 221 005, India.
Insights
Maternal deprivation-induced undernutrition in rats alters brain serotonin (5-HT) levels, with early deficits and later increases. Rehabilitation effectively restored normal brain 5-HT concentrations.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Brain serotonin (5-HT) is crucial for neurodevelopment and function.
- Early life nutrition significantly impacts brain development and neurotransmitter systems.
- Understanding the effects of undernutrition on 5-HT is vital for addressing developmental deficits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of early-life undernutrition on brain 5-HT concentrations and turnover rate in developing rats.
- To assess the reversibility of these changes following nutritional rehabilitation.
Main Methods:
- Undernutrition induced via maternal deprivation in rat pups (postnatal days 5-18).
- Measurement of brain 5-HT concentrations and turnover rates at various ages up to 3 months.
- Comparison between undernourished, rehabilitated, and control (nourished littermate) groups.
Main Results:
- Undernutrition led to significantly low brain 5-HT on day 9, but higher levels on days 12 and 18.
- Brain 5-HT levels in rehabilitated rats normalized to those of their nourished littermates.
- A steep fall in brain 5-HT was observed around postnatal day 18 in control rats.
Conclusions:
- Early-life undernutrition significantly alters brain 5-HT dynamics, showing phase-dependent effects (low early, high late).
- Nutritional rehabilitation can restore normal brain 5-HT concentrations, indicating plasticity.
- These findings highlight the critical role of early nutrition in brain serotonin system development.
Abstract:
For littermate comparison, undernutrition in half of the pups of a litter was induced by 12h maternal deprivation from day 5 to day 18 postnatal. Subsequently, undernourished suckling rats were rehabilitated. Brain 5-HT concentrations and its turnover rate were measured on different days of age up to the period of 3 months. Brain 5-HT concentration was approximately half of the adult level at birth and increased progressively, except with a steep fall on day 18 postnatal, to the adult level by day 25 postnatal and thereafter it did not vary much on different days of age. Undernourished newborn rats showed significantly low level of brain 5-HT on day 9 and significantly higher concentrations on day 12 and 18 postnatal, whereas, rehabilitated rats showed comparable brain 5-HT concentrations with that of their nourished littermates. It is concluded that undernutrition had affected the brain 5-HT concentration and its turnover rate. Brain 5-HT concentration was low during early phase and was more during late phase of undernutrition. Rehabilitation of undernourished rats restored the brain 5-HT concentration similar to that of their nourished littermates.
