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Published on: June 11, 2017
Delayed growth, motor function and learning in preterm pigs during early postnatal life
Anders D Andersen1, Per T Sangild2, Sara L Munch1
1Comparative Pediatrics and Nutrition, Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Science, Frederiksberg C, Denmark;
Insights
Preterm birth in pigs caused lasting neurodevelopmental delays and altered organ growth. While physiological deficits normalized, motor and behavioral impairments persisted, highlighting the pig as a model for preterm infant research.
Area of Science:
- Comparative physiology
- Developmental biology
- Animal models of human disease
Background:
- Preterm birth disrupts fetal growth, leading to postnatal deficits.
- Some preterm-induced physiological issues resolve, while others persist into childhood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of preterm birth on organ growth, physiological function, and neurodevelopment in a piglet model.
- To assess the persistence of these deficits over the early postnatal period.
Main Methods:
- Cesarean-delivered preterm (90% gestation) and term (100% gestation) piglets were compared.
- Organ weights, blood parameters, and behavioral assessments were conducted on postnatal days 0, 5, and 26.
- Parenteral nutrition was supplemented with enteral milk during the first 5 days.
Main Results:
- Preterm pigs exhibited reduced body weight gain and altered relative organ weights (increased brain/kidney, decreased liver/spleen) up to day 26.
- Neonatal physiological parameters (pH, Po2, glucose, lactate, hematocrit, cortisol) were reduced in preterm pigs, with most normalizing by day 26, except for serotonin and IGF-1.
- Preterm pigs showed persistent delays in arousal, physical activity, coordination, exploration, and learning.
Conclusions:
- The preterm pig model demonstrates that while many physiological deficits resolve by 4 weeks, neurodevelopmental impairments can be long-lasting.
- This model is valuable for studying interventions to support postnatal maturation and neurodevelopment in preterm infants.
Abstract:
Preterm birth interrupts normal fetal growth with consequences for postnatal growth and organ development. In preterm infants, many physiological deficits adapt and disappear with advancing postnatal age, but some may persist into childhood. We hypothesized that preterm birth would induce impaired organ growth and function during the first postnatal week in pigs, while motor abilities and behavioral characteristics would show more persistent developmental delay. Cesarean-delivered preterm (n = 112, 90% gestation) or term (n = 56, 100% gestation) piglets were reared under identical conditions and euthanized for blood and organ collection on postnatal days 0, 5, or 26. Body weight gain remained lower in preterm vs. term pigs up to day 26 (25.5 ± 1.5 vs. 31.0 ± 0.5 g·kg(-1)·day(-1), P < 0.01) when relative weights were higher for brain and kidneys and reduced for liver and spleen. Neonatal preterm pigs had reduced values for blood pH, Po2, glucose, lactate, hematocrit, and cortisol, but at day 26, most values were normalized, although plasma serotonin and IGF 1 levels remained reduced. Preterm pigs showed delayed neonatal arousal and impaired physical activity, coordination, exploration, and learning, relative to term pigs (all P < 0.05). Supplementation of parenteral nutrition during the first 5 days with an enteral milk diet did not affect later outcomes. In preterm pigs, many physiological characteristics of immaturity disappeared by 4 wk, while some neurodevelopmental deficits remained. The preterm pig is a relevant animal model to study early dietary and pharmacological interventions that support postnatal maturation and neurodevelopment in preterm infants.
