Effect of early nutrittional experience on the feeding behaviour of adult female rats
2002
Sefcikova, Z. | Mozes, S. (Akademia Vied, Kosice (Slovak Republic). Ustav Fyziologie Hospodarskych Zvierat)
Female Wistar rats were subjected to food restriction (free access to food for 2 hours daily) as follows: a) during the suckling period, i. e. up to day 15 (SR), b) during the weaning period from day 15 to 30 (WR), c) throughout 30 days post partum (SWR) and d) during adulthood, i.e. from day 60-75 of life (AR). This restriction was then changed to an ad libitum regime. The significantly decreased body weight found in females coming from litters of restrictedly fed mothers showed that these animals were considerably undernourished. Appetitive motivation increased in females that had been exposed to a restricted feeding regime during their infant period but remained unaffected in females restrictedly fed during their adult age. In comparison with the ad libitum fed controls and AR groups, significantly increased mean food intake was observed in all postnatally underfed groups (P0.001). The greatest inclination to hyperphagia and qualitative changes in feeding behaviour were observed in SWR females whose feeding regime was restricted for the longest time. These animals showed hyperphagia even in the new environment regardless whether the whole group or only one female was tested. Our results reveal a) a determinant influence of the feeding regime of the animals at early age (41 %) while environmental and social factors represent only about 17 and 4 %, respectively and that b) changes in feeding habits in adult female rats may significantly depend on the length of postnatal undernutrition.
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