Maternal voluntary physical activity attenuates delayed neurodevelopment in malnourished rats

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of maternal voluntary physical activity (VPA) during pregnancy and lactation on somatic growth (SG), reflex ontogeny (RO) and locomotor activity (LA) of rats whose mothers were protein-restricted. Virgin female Wistar rats were divided into six groups: Control Normal Protein (C-NP, n = 4); Control Low Protein (C-LP, n = 4), Inactive Normal Protein (I-NP, n = 8), Inactive Low Protein (I-LP, n = 7), Very Active Normal Protein (VA-NP, n = 8) and Very Active Low Protein (VA-LP, n = 6). VPA was recorded daily in dams. LP groups were fed an 8% casein diet, and controls were fed 17% casein diet during pregnancy and lactation. Offspring were evaluated in terms of SG (body weight and length, latero-lateral skull axis and anteroposterior head axis) and RO (palmar grasp, righting, free-fall righting, negative-geotaxis, cliff-avoidance, auditory-startle response and vibrissa-placing). LA was evaluated at 23, 45 and 60 days old in the open field. VPA was reduced during pregnancy and lactation independent of the maternal diet. Pups from LP dams showed delayed SG, reflex maturation and patterns of LA when compared with controls. C-LP and I-LP pups showed a delayed SG, RO and LA. Pups from VA-LP mothers showed no delay in SG and RO and presented a faster development of patterns of LA. Maternal VPA attenuated the effects of LP diet on indicators of neurodevelopment and patterns of LA of offspring.

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