Maternal behavior following rehabilitation of rats with intergenerational malnutrition. 2. Contribution of mothers and pups to deficits in lactation-related behaviors.
In a companion paper, we reported the persistence of an increase in active nursing and nursing-related behaviors in rats that were rehabilitated following prolonged intergenerational malnutrition. The rehabilitated litters contained females and pups fed an adequate diet for up to three generations after a history of malnutrition. In the current study, a 2 X 2 cross-over design was used during the lactation period in which rehabilitated mothers suckled rehabilitated pups or well-nourished control pups, and control mothers similarly suckled rehabilitated or control pups. We found that maternal factors were dominant in determining the amount of active nursing, and that pup factors modified the maternal influence on other lactation-related behaviors.
D000818:Animals; D000833:Animals, Suckling; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D007774:Lactation; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D009425:Nesting Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011488:Protein Deficiency / Q000178:diet therapy*; D051381:Rats; D013997:Time Factors
D004044:Dietary Proteins