Effects of Neonatal Undernutrition and Cold Stress on Behavior and Biochemical Brain Parameters in Rats

摘要: This study was conducted to investigate the separate and combined effects of neonatal undernutrition (U) cold stress (S) on behavioral cerebral development postweaning rats. A severe U imposed by feeding dams a low protein diet. Postweaning all pups were fed control S consisted daily exposure 5 degrees for 3 minutes from day 2 11. Behavioral data show that animals, stressed + nonstressed (NS), exhibited significant deficit in reversal learning T-maze at 21 days, an enhanced passive avoidance response, but no difference active-avoidance 35 days when compared controls same age. had effect behavior development. At death (110 days), brains dissected into five sections assay acetylcholinesterase (AChE) cholinesterase (ChE) activities. Brain weights animals (NS S) significantly lower except dorsal cortex (DC). AChE ChE activities higher (except DC) relative controls. resulted cerebellar weight ChE:AChE ratios some sections. Our results suggest delayed maturation association between early brain parameters adult rehabilitated animals.