Behavioral consequences of dietary vitamin deficiency in young and middle-aged rats.
The behavioral correlates of vitamin A and B 6 dietary deficiency in young adult rats (Experiment 1) and middle-aged, retired breeder rats (Experiment 2) were examined. Male and female rats received either vitamin A deficient, vitamin B6 deficient, or normal control diets for two and a half months. Body weight, eating, and drinking of water and adulterated fluids were monitored. Pyridoxine deficiency generally had greater effects on consummatory behavior and weight gain than vitamin A deficiency, but this effect was influenced by the rats' age and sex. Wheel running, (Experiment 1), increased above control levels in both the vitamin delete groups. Vitamin A and B 6 deplete diets may affect behavior before an animal displays classical physical signs. Furthermore, such behavioral changes are not restricted to young, rapidly growing male rats; instead, their character is influenced by both the sex and age of the animal.
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000502:physiology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D001835:Body Weight; D004327:Drinking Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D004971:Estrus; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D012153:Retention, Psychology; D012737:Sex Factors; D013649:Taste; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000150:complications*; D026681:Vitamin B 6 Deficiency / Q000150:complications*