Behavioral and physical development of rats chronically exposed to caffeinated fluids

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Biology
• Toxicology

Background:

• Prenatal exposure to common substances like caffeine can impact offspring development.
• Understanding the effects of caffeine in coffee versus pure caffeine is crucial for public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the developmental and behavioral effects of prenatal exposure to brewed coffee and caffeine solutions in Sprague-Dawley rats.
• To compare the effects of different concentrations of coffee and caffeine on offspring.

Main Methods:

• Sprague-Dawley rats (F0) received brewed coffee (COF-100, COF-25) or caffeine solutions (CAF-100, CAF-25) as their sole fluid source starting 60 days before breeding.
• Offspring (F1) were assessed for reproductive performance, preweaning development (incisor eruption, swimming, activity), and postweaning behavior (running wheel, open-field tests).
• Control groups received plain water (CNL) or Vitamin A (Vit-A) during gestation.

Main Results:

• High-dose coffee (COF-100) and caffeine (CAF-100) offspring exhibited lower birth weights, delayed incisor eruption, delayed swimming, and altered activity levels.
• Postweaning, these groups showed decreased running wheel activity and increased open-field ambulation/defecation.
• Lower doses (CAF-25) showed increased running wheel activity, while Vitamin A offspring displayed multiple developmental and activity alterations.

Conclusions:

• Prenatal exposure to high doses of caffeine, whether in coffee or as a solution, can induce developmental delays and behavioral changes in offspring.
• Observed behavioral effects are largely consistent with known consequences of prenatal caffeine administration.
• No significant impact was observed on learning, memory, or motoric functioning, but longer-term activity changes are suggested.