Prenatal Malnutrition Leads to Deficits in Attentional Set Shifting and Decreases Metabolic Activity in Prefrontal Subregions that Control Executive Function

摘要: Globally, over 25% of all children under the age 5 years experience malnutrition leading to cognitive and emotional impairments that can persist into adulthood beyond. We use a rodent model determine impact prenatal protein on executive functions in an attentional set-shifting task metabolic activity prefrontal cortex (PFC) subregions critical these behaviors. Long-Evans dams were provided with low (6% casein) or adequate (25% diet weeks before mating during pregnancy. At birth, litters culled 8 pups fostered control casein diet. postnatal day 90, prenatally malnourished rats less able shift set reverse reward contingencies than controls, demonstrating rigidity. Naive same-sexed littermates assessed for regional brain using marker (14)C-2-deoxyglucose (2DG). The had lower controls prelimbic, infralimbic, anterior cingulate, orbitofrontal cortices, but comparable nearby piriform superior colliculus. This study demonstrates well-described animal produces deficits tests shifting reversal learning, similar findings inflexibility reported humans exposed early childhood malnutrition.