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Updated: Jul 10, 2025
Author Spotlight: Studying the Impact of Maternal Dietary Deficiencies on Long-Term Offspring Health Outcomes
Published on: June 28, 2024
Pre/postnatal taurine supplementation improves neurodevelopment and brain function in mice offspring: A persistent
Mohammad Mehdi Ommati1, Heresh Rezaei2, Retana-Márquez Socorro3
1Henan Key Laboratory of Environmental and Animal Product Safety, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471000, Henan, China; Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Long-term taurine (TAU) supplementation during pregnancy and weaning improved neurological development in offspring mice. TAU enhanced cognitive function, memory, motor activity, and emotional behaviors, potentially via improved mitochondrial function.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Taurine (TAU) is a vital amino acid crucial for infant development, as endogenous synthesis is limited.
- Newborns depend on dietary taurine (milk) for essential physiological functions.
- The impact of long-term taurine supplementation on subsequent generations' neurological development remains unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the long-term effects of maternal taurine supplementation on the neurological development of offspring.
- To assess taurine's influence on mitochondrial function and oxidative stress in the brain and hippocampus.
- To explore taurine's potential as a beneficial supplement during pregnancy and early life.
Main Methods:
- Pregnant mice received taurine (0.5% and 1% w/v) in drinking water from conception through offspring weaning (post-natal day 65).
- Neurological parameters, including cognitive function, memory, motor activity, and emotional behaviors, were evaluated in the offspring (F1 generation).
- Mitochondrial function, ATP levels, and oxidative stress biomarkers were analyzed in the whole brain and hippocampus.
Main Results:
- Taurine supplementation significantly enhanced cognitive function, memory, motor activity, and emotional behaviors in offspring.
- Elevated taurine levels were detected in the brain and hippocampus of supplemented offspring.
- Mitochondria isolated from the brain and hippocampus showed increased taurine and ATP levels, suggesting improved mitochondrial function.
Conclusions:
- Long-term taurine supplementation positively impacts offspring neurological development, including cognitive and motor functions.
- Enhanced mitochondrial function and energy metabolism appear to be key mechanisms underlying taurine's benefits.
- Taurine shows promise as a beneficial supplement during pregnancy and in infant formulas to support neurological health.
