Effects of prenatal undernutrition on emotional reactivity and cognitive flexibility in adult sheep.

摘要: The experiment reported was designed to test two hypotheses: that prenatal undernutrition (a) increases emotional reactivity and (b) impairs cognitive flexibility in sheep. mothers of one group were fed live weight maintenance requirements throughout pregnancy (control, C) while those another 50% amount from days 1 95 100% then onwards (prenatal undernutrition, PU). At 18 months age, PU sheep more active during restraint (P < 0.05) approached a novel stimulus slowly = 0.02). In response sudden stimulus, males C females showed higher initial level locomotion compared males, which only gradually declined, started at high rate, changing rapidly immobility. T-maze, resulted shift side preferences (laterality) general right-bias neutrality left-bias 0.05). the reversal tasks, had preference for over other, no preference. contrast failed improve their learning speed first second It is concluded can lead increased changes both sexes impaired males. Undernutrition pregnancy, therefore, not affects welfare dam, but also personality her offspring.