Dendritic development in the neocortex of adult rats following a maintained prenatal and/or early postnatal life undernutrition

Abstract

The Golgi-Cox method was used to study the maturation of the large pyramidal cells of the Vth cortical layer in three groups of adult rats: one subjected to undernutrition during the first month of life, another throughout the first 2 mth of life, and the last one during gestation and the suckling period. The main alterations consist of a decrease in the number and span of dendritic basilar processes of large pyramidal cells. In animals malnourished during prenatal life and the suckling period the reduction of the basal dendritic arborization was more apparent. It is postulated that the vulnerable period for the basal dendritic development occupies the period from the end of pregnancy until the first 3 wk of postnatal life in the rat (suckling period). Noxious influences acting during this phase induce sequelae that cannot be reversed by subsequent refeeding. A maintained nutritional insult during prenatal and early postnatal life induces the most severe changes in dendritic arborizations, compared to those resulting from a prolonged postnatal malnutrition.