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Author Spotlight: Studying the Impact of Maternal Dietary Deficiencies on Long-Term Offspring Health Outcomes
Published on: June 28, 2024
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Prenatal folate deficiency impairs sociability and memory/recognition in mice offspring
Misato Yoshikawa1, Katsuya Suemaru1
1School of Pharmacy, Shujitsu University, 1-6-1 Nishigawara, Naka-ku, Okayama 703-8516, Japan.
Brain Research
|October 20, 2023
Summary
Prenatal folate deficiency (FD) in mice impairs offspring sociability and memory. This is linked to reduced synaptic protein levels in the brain, suggesting a connection between maternal nutrition and neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Folate is crucial for fetal development and postnatal brain health.
- Folic acid supplementation is known to impact brain development and mental health.
- The link between maternal folate deficiency and child developmental disorders requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between prenatal folate deficiency (FD) and neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring.
- To evaluate the impact of maternal folate intake on offspring behavior and synaptic protein expression.
Main Methods:
- ICR mice were fed either a control or folate-deficient diet from embryonic day 1 to parturition.
- Offspring behavior was assessed using tests for locomotor activity, anxiety, grooming, sociability, and learning/memory.
- Protein levels of NMDA receptors, AMPA receptors, PSD-95, and GAD65/67 were measured in the frontal cortex and hippocampus.
Main Results:
- Prenatal folate deficiency did not affect locomotor activity or anxiety levels.
- FD offspring exhibited impaired sociability, spatial memory, and novel object recognition.
- Reduced expression of AMPA receptor 1 and PSD-95 was observed in both the frontal cortex and hippocampus of FD mice.
- NMDA receptor subunit 2B and GAD65/67 were downregulated in the frontal cortex of FD mice.
Conclusions:
- Prenatal folate deficiency leads to behavioral deficits in offspring, including impaired social interaction and memory.
- FD is associated with reduced levels of key synaptic proteins in the frontal cortex and hippocampus.
- These findings highlight the critical role of maternal folate status in fetal neurodevelopment and suggest potential mechanisms for developmental disorders.
