Effects of undernutrition on glutamatergic parameters in the cerebral cortex of young rats.
Perinatal undernutrition impairs maturational events in the development of the brain, resulting in a variety of brain dysfunctions, which affect cognitive functions. This study investigated the effects of pre- and post-natal undernutrition (diet: 8% protein; control group: 25% protein) on some glutamatergic and behavioral parameters of 21-day-old rats. In the cerebral cortex, undernutrition reduced the Na-independent [(3)H]Glutamate binding in cellular membranes and [(3)H]Glutamate vesicular uptake, without affecting the [(3)H]Glutamate uptake by slices preparation. Behavioral parameters were affected, showing a strong amnesic effect both in the short- and long-term memory of inhibitory avoidance tasks, and a significant reduction in the number of crossings in an open field. The effects of perinatal undernutrition in 21-day-old rats, which alter some glutamatergic parameters may be related to the impairment of memory in certain behavioral tasks.
Rotta
Liane N
LN
Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, 90035-003, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. lianerotta@hotmail.com
Leszczinski
Daniel N
DN
Brusque
Ana M
AM
Pereira
Patrícia
P
Brum
Lucimar F S
LF
Nogueira
Cristina W
CW
Frizzo
Marcos E S
ME
Perry
Marcos L S
ML
Souza
Diogo O
DO
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013572:Synaptic Vesicles / Q000378:metabolism; D013574:Synaptosomes / Q000378:metabolism
D018698:Glutamic Acid