Is hippocampal function in the adult rat impaired by early protein or protein-calorie deficiencies?
Much of the development of the rat's hippocampal formation occurs postnatally, which suggests that this structure, like the cerebellum, may be especially vulnerable to early postnatal malnutrition. Radial-maze performance and spontaneous alternation, two kinds of behavior requiring the integrity of the hippocampus, were assessed to determine whether hippocampal function in the adult rat is impaired as a result of protein restriction in either the preweaning, the postweaning or both stages of development. In three experiments the performance of protein-malnourished rats in 8- and 12-arm mazes did not differ significantly from that of well-nourished rats. In a fourth experiment levels of spontaneous alternation in protein-malnourished rats were like those of normal well-nourished animals. Thus, the present experiments provide no evidence that hippocampal function is impaired as a consequence of early protein deprivation. For the most part, a critical review of earlier studied of undernourished rats supports a similar conclusion.
D000818:Animals; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000502:physiology; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains