Effects of high-fat diet on growth and depression-like behavior of prenatal stress offspring rats

Qing Hua,Shaodong Bian,Yingjun Mu,Aiying Dai,Liang Wang,Yong Lu,Hang Chen,Qi Wu

doi:10.1590/fst.36420

Abstract

To investigate effects of high-fat diet (HFD) on body length, weight and depression-like behavior of prenatal stress (PS) offspring rats. PS rat model was established by restraint stress. Sucrose preference and forced swimming tests were performed. Moreover, the effects of HFD on the growth and depression-like behavior in offspring rats were observed. Length of male and female HF group was significantly longer than that control, but length of male PS+HF group was significantly shorter than HF group. Body weight of male and female HF group was significantly higher than control, and body weight of male PS+HF group was significantly lower than HF group. No significant differences were observed in length between female PS +HF and HF groups. Compared with male PS+HF group, growth rate of male HF group was significantly higher. Moreover, HFD could reduce sucrose preference, and prolong immobility time of PS offspring rats. HFD can promote weight gain of male and female normal offspring rats. PS can partially inhibit effects of HFD on weight gain of PS male offspring rats, but exert no significant effects on PS female offspring rats. HFD can aggravate PS-induced depression-like behavior in offspring rats.

Highlights

With the rapid development of economy, the people’s diet constitution and habit have changed, and the proportion of high-fat diet (HFD) has been gradually increased
These results suggest that, HF can increase the length of normal male offspring, while prenatal stress (PS) can inhibit the effect of HF on body length, with no significant effect on the growth rate
HF can promote the length of normal female offspring, PS does not influence the effect of HF on the growth of female offspring

Summary

Introduction

With the rapid development of economy, the people’s diet constitution and habit have changed, and the proportion of high-fat diet (HFD) has been gradually increased. Another study has found that high-fat and -sucrose diet would impair the learning and memory function and decline the synaptic plasticity in rats, and the long-term HFD would result in depression and mood disorders (Yoon et al, 2012). Psychological status of pregnant women affects the trajectory of fetal neurodevelopment, which is involved to the developing disease in adulthood (Beebe et al, 2008; Champagne, 2010). When pregnant women underwent significant stress, anxiety or depression, the risks of mental and mental illnesses would be potentially increased in their offspring (Talge et al, 2007). It has been found that the neurological destruction would be observed in the hippocampus, and the incidence rate of depression-like behavior increased in the offspring from the mothers with PS (Guan et al, 2013; Jia et al, 2010)

Methods

Results

Conclusion