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.
Highlights
Affecting two billion people—or over 30% of the world’s population—iron deficiency (ID) anemia (IDA) is the most prevalent nutrient disorder in the world [1]
We partially replicated these results: our guinea pig pups born to iron-deficient anemic (IDA) dams performed as well as those born to the IS dams within the Morris Water Maze (MWM) and displayed increased activity levels within Open Field Test (OFT)
To explain why the prenatally IDA pups displayed an increase in exploratory behaviour in the OFTs, we propose that they could not suppress their nervous reactions to the novel environment, which suggests that they had elevated anxiety levels in comparison to the IS pups
Summary
Affecting two billion people—or over 30% of the world’s population—iron deficiency (ID) anemia (IDA) is the most prevalent nutrient disorder in the world [1] Distributed throughout both developing and industrialized countries, it is especially common among pregnant women and children. Iron is responsible for tissue oxygenation, energy metabolism, neurotransmitter synthesis, and myelination of the central nervous system [2, 3]. For pregnant women, this means that their iron requirements increase dramatically in order to provide for fetal brain development [4].
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