Visual discrimination in rats: the effects of rehabilitation following intergenerational malnutrition

The effect of rehabilitation following intergenerational malnutrition in rats was observed using 3 tests of visual discrimination (Lashley tests). The following groups were studied at 3 months of age: animals nutritionally deprived of protein for many generations (intergenerational malnutrition), those from the same stock rehabilitated for 1 to 2 generations at an adequate protein level, and controls from a stock never exposed to malnutrition. Males rehabilitated for 2 generations showed some improvement in performance in the Lashley tests, but did not attain the level of well-nourished controls. In agreement with the earlier data, females were less susceptible to behavioral deficits from intergenerational malnutrition and recovery was observed after 1 generation of rehabilitation. Growth of both males and females rehabilitated for 1 or 2 generations was superior to that of control rats.