Caloric Restriction or Intermittent Fasting During Lactation Have Different Impacts on Anxiety-Like Behaviours and...

The lactation period is considered fundamental in the development of offspring in relation to their metabolism, growth and brain maturation. The aims of this study were to assess the anxiety-like responses and amygdala redox state, in male and female offspring of dams submitted to caloric restriction (CR) or intermittent fasting (IF) diets during lactation. The litters (dam and 8 pups) received the diets: Control-received the lab chow ad libitum (n = 8 litters); CR-received 50% of the chow consumed by the control group (n = 8 litters); IF-received lab chow ad libitum for the first 24 h, followed by a 24-h period without access to food. Assessments of anxiety-like behaviour through the open field, elevated plus maze and light-dark box tests were performed in adolescence. Subsequently, the redox state of the amygdala of the animals was evaluated through FRAP, SOD and TBARS dosages. CR and IF diets during lactation promoted, in male and female offspring, persistent nutritional alterations related to undernutrition. The CR diet led to the development of anxiety-like behaviours in both males and females. Conversely, the IF diet induced a reduction in anxiety-like behaviours only in male offspring. The CR group also showed an increase in SOD enzyme activity in the amygdala, which may be related to the observed behavioural changes. The two models of dietary restriction led to undernutrition in the offspring (male and female), with differing effects on anxiety and redox status.