title: Prenatal Iron Deficiency in Guinea Pigs Increases Locomotor Activity but Does Not Influence Learning and Memory.
abstract: The objective of the current study was to determine whether prenatal iron deficiency induced during gestation in guinea pigs affected locomotor activity and learning and memory processes in the progeny. Dams were fed either iron-deficient anemic or iron-sufficient diets throughout gestation and lactation. After weaning, all pups were fed an iron-sufficient diet. On postnatal day 24 and 40, the pups' locomotor activity was observed within an open-field test, and from postnatal day 25 to 40, their learning and memory processes were assessed within a Morris Water Maze. The behavioural and cognitive tests revealed that the iron deficient pup group had increased locomotor activity, but solely on postnatal day 40, and that there were no group differences in the Morris Water Maze. In the general discussion, we propose that prenatal iron deficiency induces an increase in nervousness due to anxiety in the progeny, which, in the current study, resulted in an increase of locomotor activity.
authors.affiliation: Programme de nutrition, Faculté des Sciences de la Santé, Université d'Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fiset
authors.affiliation: Programme de nutrition, Faculté des Sciences de la Santé, Université d'Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: France M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Rioux
authors.affiliation: Département de Chimie et Biochimie, Université de Moncton, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada.
authors.forename: Marc E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Surette
authors.affiliation: Secteur des Sciences Humaines, Université de Moncton, Campus d'Edmundston, Edmundston, New Brunswick, Canada.
authors.forename: Sylvain
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fiset
mesh_terms: D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning; D008568:Memory; D009043:Motor Activity; D011247:Pregnancy; D039401:Prenatal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena