Maternal consumption of Bertholletia excelsa oil modulates reflex maturation and memory in rat offspring

This study evaluated the effects of maternal consumption of crude and refined Brazil nut oil (Bertholletia excelsa) during gestation and lactation on reflex maturation and cognitive development in male and female rat offspring. Pregnant females were assigned to three groups: control (water), crude oil, and refined oil (3000 mg/kg, orally). Reflex ontogeny was assessed from postnatal day 1 to 21, and behavioral performance was evaluated using the Open Field Test, object recognition test, and Morris water maze. Fatty acid profiles of maternal milk and offspring brain tissue were also analyzed. Maternal supplementation with crude oil promoted earlier maturation of sensorimotor reflexes, particularly in female offspring, indicating enhanced early neurodevelopment. In contrast, refined oil supplementation significantly improved short- and long-term memory, demonstrated by increased exploration of novel objects and superior spatial memory performance, with stronger effects in females. Only offspring from the refined oil group showed significant locomotor habituation in the Open Field Test, suggesting improved non-associative learning. Lipid analyses revealed higher levels of monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in maternal milk and offspring brain tissue from the refined oil group, nutrients associated with synaptic plasticity, neurogenesis, and reduced neuroinflammation. Conversely, the crude oil, richer in medium-chain saturated fatty acids, may explain the accelerated reflex maturation observed. Overall, maternal intake of Brazil nut oil modulated neurodevelopment and cognition in a sex dependent manner. Refined oil enhanced cognitive function, whereas crude oil primarily stimulated early reflex maturation, highlighting the importance of maternal lipid quality for optimal early-life neurological development.