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Updated: Mar 21, 2026
Moderate Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Quantification of Social Behavior in Adult Rats
Published on: December 14, 2014
Intrauterine Aluminium Exposure Due to Dietary Content Alters Social Behaviours in Wistar Rat Offsprings
Lal D V Nair1, Senthilkumar Sivanesan2, Devika S Kumar2
1Department of Pediatrics, Saveetha Medical College, SIMATS University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Background:
Neurodevelopmental disorders like autism are on the rise, with the role of genetics and epigenetics being increasingly cited as reasons or contributors. The environmental factors were found to be important as epigenetic modifiers, and pregnant mothers are incrementally exposed to many of these environmental factors, like aluminium (Al), known to damage neurons, even before delivery. However, its presence and persistence inside the central nervous system (CNS), leading to changes in the expression of behaviours, need further research. Hence, this animal study was conceived.
Purpose:
To evaluate the impact of early dietary exposure to Al in the brains of foetuses of pregnant rats and its subsequent effects on the neurobehaviour in their pups.
Methods:
Pregnant Wistar rats were divided into four groups (Gr1 receiving injection tetanus toxoid; Gr2 receiving tetanus toxoid + soy; Gr3 receiving tetanus toxoid + valproic acid and Gr4 receiving tetanus toxoid + soy + valproic acid). A few pups were sacrificed, and their brain Al and α-synuclein levels were assessed. Others were allowed to grow, and their behaviour, α-synuclein and Al levels were analysed.
Results:
α-synuclein was low in groups 3 and 4, with group 4 pups with abnormal socialisation behaviours exhibiting the lowest levels, suggesting ongoing neuronal injury. Brain Al in pups sacrificed immediately after birth suggests prenatal Al exposure, with the highest values in group 4, though all had elevated Al levels. Gr4 had impaired socialisation. Higher sociability indices were noted in groups 1 and 2 (0.36 and 0.3) compared to groups 3 and 4 (0.09 and 0.04). Groups 1 and 2 pups demonstrated intact social memory and novelty seeking. There was also a negative correlation between brain Al and α-synuclein levels and the socialisation index.
Conclusion:
Environmental factors like Al once enter the CNS remain in the brain even when invisible in blood and can induce changes in the growing brain, behaviour and socialisation.
