Nutritional approach to restore impaired intestinal barrier function and growth after neonatal stress in rats

Area of Science:

• Developmental programming
• Gastroenterology
• Nutritional science

Background:

• Neonatal psychological stress can lead to long-term intestinal dysfunction and growth deficits.
• Early life stress impacts gut barrier integrity and host physiology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of a specialized nutritional intervention in mitigating the adverse effects of neonatal stress on intestinal barrier function and growth.
• To determine if specific dietary components can reverse stress-induced gut alterations.

Main Methods:

• Rat pups were subjected to maternal separation (stress) or handling (control) from postnatal day 2 to 14.
• Following the stress period, pups received either a control diet or an adapted diet containing specific long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, oligosaccharides, and probiotics until postnatal day 35.

Main Results:

• Maternal separation significantly impaired gut barrier function by postnatal day 35, increasing intestinal permeability and altering microbiota composition.
• The adapted diet normalized intestinal permeability but did not fully restore mucin content or microbiota composition.
• The specialized diet improved growth rate recovery post-weaning and increased small intestinal villus length in stressed animals.

Conclusions:

• A nutritional intervention comprising long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, prebiotics, and probiotics can counteract the detrimental effects of neonatal stress on intestinal barrier function and growth.
• This dietary strategy shows promise for managing the long-term consequences of early-life stress on gut health.