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Updated: Aug 17, 2026
A Battery of Motor Tests in a Neonatal Mouse Model of Cerebral Palsy
Published on: November 3, 2016
Behavioral deficits in adult rats treated neonatally with glutamate
Zdenek Hlinák1, Dana Gandalovicová, Ivan Krejcí
1Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Vídenská 1083, 142 00 Prague 4, Czech Republic. koktova@biomed.cas.cz
Insights
Neonatal monosodium-l-glutamate (MSG) exposure in rats led to long-term behavioral deficits, including reduced locomotion and impaired spatial and olfactory memory. These findings suggest potential neurodevelopmental impacts of MSG.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Science
- Toxicology
Background:
- Neonatal exposure to certain substances can have lasting effects on brain development and behavior.
- Monosodium-l-glutamate (MSG) is a widely used food additive, and its developmental neurotoxicity is a subject of ongoing research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the long-term behavioral consequences of neonatal monosodium-l-glutamate (MSG) treatment in rats.
- To assess the impact of MSG on locomotion, spatial memory, olfactory working memory, and habituation.
Main Methods:
- Rats received daily subcutaneous MSG injections from postnatal day 5 to 12.
- Locomotor activity was measured using an automatic activity monitor.
- Behavioral tests included the elevated plus maze (spatial memory), social recognition test (olfactory working memory), and open field test (habituation).
Main Results:
- MSG-treated rats exhibited significantly reduced locomotion at 56 and 84 days of age.
- Prolonged start and transfer latencies were observed in the elevated plus maze, indicating impaired spatial memory.
- MSG-treated males showed reduced social interest in the social recognition test.
- A decreased habituation rate was noted in the open field test.
Conclusions:
- Neonatal MSG treatment results in persistent, long-term behavioral deficits in rats.
- These deficits encompass motor activity, spatial and olfactory memory, and habituation.
- Potential sex-dependent differences in behavioral outcomes warrant further investigation.
Abstract:
The present study evaluated long-term behavioral consequences of neonatal monosodium-l-glutamate (MSG) treatment in rats. The pups received MSG (3 mg/g sc) daily from postnatal day (PD) 5-12. Data from an automatic activity monitor showed that locomotion of MSG-treated females and males aged 56 and 84 days was significantly reduced. Beginning PD 120, three behavioral tests were performed. As compared to the controls, in the elevated plus maze test, modified to evaluate the adaptive form of spatial memory, MSG-treated animals of both sex had significantly prolonged start and transfer latencies. In the social recognition test, assessing olfactory working memory, MSG-treated males displayed a reduced interest in the juvenile conspecific as the stimulus partner during both the initial exposure and re-exposure performed 30 min later. In the open field test, a significant decrease in the habituation rate was found in MSG-treated animals. Sex-dependent differences in behavioral performance were suggested in the open field and elevated plus maze tests. Behavioral changes are discussed in light of the deficits in perception and processing of visual and olfactory stimuli.
