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Psicothema was founded in Asturias (northern Spain) in 1989, and is published jointly by the Psychology Faculty of the University of Oviedo and the Psychological Association of the Principality of Asturias (Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos del Principado de Asturias).
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Psicothema, 2012. Vol. Vol. 24 (nº 3). 422-426




Ingestive behavior in rat pups is modified by maternal sodium depletion

Carmen Perillán, Paula Núñez, Marina Costales, Manuel Vijande and Juan Argüelles

Universidad de Oviedo

Developmental programming by maternal stress during pregnancy is found to influence behavioral development in the offspring. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of maternal sodium depletion in rats during pregnancy on the development of thirst mechanisms in the offspring. Pregnant rats underwent 3 episodes of saline depletion, induced by injecting sc 10 mg of Furosemide in saline (0.5 ml). The treatment, given on the 14th, 17th and 20th days post-conception, is thought to induce acute sodium depletion on dams. The offspring were tested for their drinking responses to Isoproterenol (500 µg/kg sc). In accordance to the known sequence of ontogenic development of drinking mechanisms, all groups of pups drunk after being stimulated with Isoproterenol at 6 days of age. The offspring from Furosemide-treated dams drank significantly less than the control group after Isoproterenol (p<0.001). Nevertheless, basal intake (water drunk after vehicle-saline only) was also significantly lower in these pups (p<0.001). In conclusion, offspring exposed to saline depletion in utero, modify their thirst responses at 6 day of age. This confirms that in utero conditions determine thirst responses in the offspring and they could provide adaptive advantages.

La depleción sódica materna durante la preñez modifica el comportamiento ingestivo de la descendencia. Episodios de estrés materno acaecidos durante la fase de preñez pueden afectar al desarrollo normal del comportamiento ingestivo de la descendencia. El objetivo de este estudio es investigar el efecto de la depleción sódica durante la preñez sobre el comportamiento ingestivo de la descendencia. Ratas preñadas son sometidas a tres episodios de depleción sódica por inyección de furosemida (10 mg en salino sc) los días 14, 17 y 20 postconcepción. En la descendencia se estudió su respuesta ingestiva al Isoproterenol (500 µg/kg s.c.). Según la secuencia establecida de desarrollo de los comportamientos ingestivos, todos los grupos de animales beben en respuesta al isoproterenol a los 6 días de edad, pero descendientes de madres tratadas con furosemida bebían menos que los hijos de madres control (p<0,001). También la bebida basal (crías inyectadas con salino) se veía afectada, siendo menor en el grupo de descendientes de madres tratadas con furosemida (p<0,001). En conclusión, los descendientes expuestos a depleción sódica en el útero materno modifican su comportamiento ingestivo a los 6 días de edad. Esto confirma que las condiciones uterinas determinan las respuestas dípsicas en la descendencia y podrían proveer ventajas adaptativas.

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