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Food restriction affects Y-maze spatial recognition memory in developing mice
Yu Fu1, Yanmei Chen1, Liane Li1
1Medical Faculty, Kunming University of Science & Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, PR China.
Summary
Food restriction in developing mice shows complex effects on memory. Severe chronic restriction impairs spatial memory, while acute restriction yields varied results, impacting novelty preference and memory retention.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Animal Behavior
Background:
- Effects of food restriction (FR) on cognition are debated, particularly in aged rodents.
- Previous studies often used reward/punishment paradigms, leaving gaps in understanding developmental impacts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of chronic and acute food restriction (FR) of varying intensities on spatial recognition memory in developing mice.
- To explore the relationship between FR-induced weight changes and cognitive performance.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a Y-maze task to assess novelty preference and spatial recognition memory.
- Chronic FR involved restricting chow to 70-30% of control for seven weeks.
- Acute FR involved restricting food for 12-48 hours before testing.
Main Results:
- Chronic FR did not affect novelty preference but severe restriction (50-30% chow) impaired spatial recognition memory, correlating with slowed weight growth.
- Acute FR did not alter novelty preference but demonstrated variable effects on memory retention, either improving or impairing it.
- Individual tolerability to FR influenced the degree of impairment in chronic FR.
Conclusions:
- Chronic food restriction can impair spatial recognition memory in developing mice, with severity dependent on restriction intensity and individual tolerance.
- Acute food restriction has diverse, non-uniform effects on memory retention in young mice.
- Findings provide novel insights into the nuanced effects of food restriction on cognitive functions during development.