title: Biological and behavioural assessments of young rhesus monkeys after intrauterine exposure to high phenylalanine concentrations.
abstract: Nineteen pregnant Macaca mulatta were fed a special diet throughout the gestational period in an attempt to render them hyperphenylalaninaemic. Group C (control group) received a regular diet, group Lo was given a 'low' phenylalanine diet, group Me a 'median' phenylalanine diet, and group Hi a 'high' phenylalanine diet. Nearly all monkeys had an uncomplicated pregnancy and an uneventful delivery. Biological measurements were obtained shortly after the birth of the infants and behavioural assessments were done when the offspring were between 6 and 18 months of age. The results of the biological and behavioural evaluations revealed that there was no statistically significant difference among the respective study groups. We concluded that a combination of factors inherent in an imperfect animal model may account for the negative results of this study.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D010649:Phenylalanine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010661:Phenylketonurias / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D010649:Phenylalanine