Vitamin A supplementation in rats under pregnancy and nursing induces behavioral changes and oxidative stress upon striatum and hippocampus of dams and their offspring

Abstract Vitamin A is important for both development and maintenance of adult brain homeostasis. However, excessive vitamin A exposure has been linked to cognitive impairments and may induce congenital defects, including neuronal malformations. Recently, we demonstrated that vitamin A supplementatio...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Brain research 2011-01, Vol.1369, p.60-73
Main Authors: Schnorr, Carlos Eduardo, da Silva Morrone, Maurílio, Simões-Pires, André, da Rocha, Ricardo Fagundes, Behr, Guilherme Antônio, Moreira, José Cláudio Fonseca
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Animals, Newborn
Behavior
Behavior, Animal - drug effects
Biological and medical sciences
Brain
Catalase - metabolism
Corpus Striatum - drug effects
Corpus Striatum - metabolism
Corpus Striatum - pathology
Dietary Supplements - toxicity
Feeding. Feeding behavior
Female
Free radical
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Hippocampus - drug effects
Hippocampus - metabolism
Hippocampus - pathology
Lipid Peroxidation - drug effects
Male
Neurology
Oxidation-Reduction
Oxidative stress
Oxidative Stress - drug effects
Pregnancy
Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects - etiology
Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects - metabolism
Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects - pathology
Rats
Rats, Wistar
Retinyl palmitate
Superoxide Dismutase - metabolism
Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems
Vitamin A - toxicity
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Summary:Abstract Vitamin A is important for both development and maintenance of adult brain homeostasis. However, excessive vitamin A exposure has been linked to cognitive impairments and may induce congenital defects, including neuronal malformations. Recently, we demonstrated that vitamin A supplementation is able to alter behavioral parameters and induce a pro-oxidant state in hippocampus and striatum of adult male rat. Thus, the aim of the present work was to investigate the effects of vitamin A supplementation in pregnant and nursing rats on maternal and offspring striatum and hippocampus. Wistar female rats (7 per group) were orally supplemented with retinyl palmitate (2500, 12,500 and 25,000 IU/kg/day) or saline (control) throughout pregnancy and nursing. Homing test was performed at postnatal days (PND) 5 and 10 for offspring, while open field test (OFT) was carried out at PND19 and 20 for dams and offspring, respectively. Redox parameters were evaluated at PND21 for both. Vitamin A supplementation during pregnancy and nursing increased superoxide dismutase/catalase (SOD/CAT) ratio and oxidative damage in maternal and offspring striatum and hippocampus. Additionally, supplementation induced behavioral alterations. In conclusion, we suggest some caution regarding vitamin A intake during pregnancy and breastfeeding, since oxidative stress can disturb several biological phenomena, including neuronal signaling and neurotransmission, which may induce several behavioral deficits.
ISSN:0006-8993
1872-6240
DOI:10.1016/j.brainres.2010.11.042