Prenatal choline supplementation protects against postnatal neurotoxicity.
Choline, a dietary compound present in many foods, has recently been classified as an essential nutrient for humans. There is evidence from animal models that the availability of choline during the prenatal period influences neural and cognitive development. Here we report that choline supplementation during a 6 d gestational period protects against neurodegeneration in the posterior cingulate and retrosplenial cortices of female adolescent rats produced by peripheral administration of the NMDA receptor antagonist dizocilpine (MK-801). These data show that availability of a single nutrient, choline, during a brief period of prenatal development diminishes vulnerability to neurotoxicity in adolescent offspring.
Guo-Ross
Shirley X
SX
Neurobiology Research Laboratory, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27705, USA.
Clark
Suzanne
S
Montoya
Daniel A C
DA
Jones
Katherine H
KH
Obernier
Jennifer
J
Shetty
Ashok K
AK
White
Aaron M
AM
Blusztajn
Jan Krzysztof
JK
Wilson
Wilkie A
WA
Swartzwelder
H Scott
HS
D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D002794:Choline / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019610:Cytoprotection / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate / Q000633:toxicity; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D012737:Sex Factors
D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate; D002794:Choline