Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 31, 2026
Neurodevelopmental Reflex Testing in Neonatal Rat Pups
Published on: April 24, 2017
Pre- and/or postnatal protein restriction developmentally programs affect and risk assessment behaviors in adult male
L A Reyes-Castro1, J S Rodriguez, G L Rodríguez-González
1Department of Reproductive Biology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City 14000, Mexico.
Insights
Maternal protein restriction during pregnancy and lactation negatively impacts male offspring neurodevelopment. This dietary intervention affects anxiety and exploratory behaviors, with potential lifelong health implications.
Area of Science:
- Developmental biology
- Neuroscience
- Nutritional science
Background:
- Suboptimal intrauterine environments can lead to lifelong health issues in offspring.
- The impact of maternal protein restriction on offspring neurodevelopment is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of maternal isocaloric low protein diet during pregnancy and/or lactation on male offspring affect, risk assessment, anxiety, and exploratory behaviors.
Main Methods:
- Four groups of male offspring were studied based on maternal diet: control (20% casein) and restricted (10% casein) during pregnancy and/or lactation (CC, RR, CR, RC).
- Offspring behaviors were assessed using the elevated plus maze and open field tests.
- Corticosterone levels were measured in RR and CC offspring.
Main Results:
- Maternal protein restriction during pregnancy and/or lactation increased open arm time in the elevated plus maze, suggesting decreased anxiety and increased exploration in RR, CR, and RC offspring compared to CC.
- In the open field test, RR offspring showed reduced center zone entries, indicating increased anxiety compared to CC offspring.
- Elevated corticosterone levels were observed in RR offspring compared to CC offspring.
Conclusions:
- Maternal protein restriction during critical developmental periods negatively programs offspring behavior.
- Protein restriction impacts anxiety-like and exploratory behaviors, potentially mediated by stress hormone levels.
Abstract:
Developmental programming resulting from a suboptimal intrauterine environment can predispose offspring to a wide-range of lifelong health complications. Little is known about the effects maternal protein restriction during pregnancy and/or lactation has on offspring neurodevelopment. We hypothesized that maternal isocaloric low protein diet during pregnancy and/or lactation would negatively influence male offspring affect and risk assessment behaviors as measured by elevated plus maze and open field tests. Control mothers received 20% casein (C) and restricted mothers (R) 10% casein to provide four groups: CC, RR, CR, and RC (first letter pregnancy diet and second letter lactation diet) to evaluate effects of maternal diet on offspring risk assessment, anxiety and exploratory behaviors. Elevated plus maze results showed an effect of pre- and/or postnatal diet manipulation in open arm time (p<0.05) with increases seen in the RR (157±22.7s), CR (137±23.2s) and RC (146.8±10.8s) offspring relative to CC (52±8.6s) offspring. This behavior indicates decreased avoidance (less anxiety) and increased exploration by experimental groups. However, in the open field test the RR (17±4.2 entries) offspring entered the center zone less than the CC (35±6.6 entries) offspring thus exhibiting increased anxiety with no other groups showing effects. Elevated levels of corticosterone were measured before, during and after immobilization in the RR compared to CC offspring. These findings show protein restriction during critical periods of development negatively program offspring behavior. The underlying anatomical structures affected remain to be elucidated.
