The Development of the External Granular Layer of the Cerebellum and Neurobehavioral Correlates in Neonatal Rats Following Intrauterine and Postnatal Exposure to Caffeine

Abstract

Background: Caffeine is widely consumed in pregnancy and used therapeutically in preterm babies. Moderately high maternal consumption of caffeine is associated with detrimental neurological effects in the newborn, but there is insufficient information on its effects on the cerebellum in relationship to neurobehavior. We hypothesize that maternal consumption of caffeine will delay the structural and functional development of the cerebellum in offsprings. This study investigates the effect of perinatal maternal caffeine consumption in rats on neurobehavior and the structure of the external granular layer (EGL) in neonates. Materials and Methods: Pregnant rats received 50 or 100 mg/(kg/day) of caffeine (designated as CAF 50, CAF 100) by gavage throughout pregnancy and for 3 weeks during lactation. Controls received sterile water. The pups were tested for sensorimotor reflex development, motor coordination, and muscular strength. By serial sacrifice from days 19 to 21, cerebellar development was assessed by m...