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Sex-Dependent Cognitive Performance in Baboon Offspring Following Maternal Caloric Restriction in Pregnancy and Lactation

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Abstract

In humans a suboptimal diet during development has negative outcomes in offspring. We investigated the behavioral outcomes in baboons born to mothers undergoing moderate maternal nutrient restriction (MNR). Maternal nutrient restriction mothers (n = 7) were fed 70% of food eaten by controls (CTR, n = 12) fed ad libitum throughout gestation and lactation. At 3.3 ± 0.2 (mean ± standard error of the mean [SEM]) years of age offspring (controls: female [FC, n = 8], male [MC, n = 4]; nutrient restricted: female [FR, n = 3] and male [MR, n = 4]) were administered progressive ratio, simple discrimination, intra-/extra-dimension set shift and delayed matching to sample tasks to assess motivation, learning, attention, and working memory, respectively. A treatment effect was observed in MNR offspring who demonstrated less motivation and impaired working memory. Nutrient-restricted female offspring showed improved learning, while MR offspring showed impaired learning and attentional set shifting and increased impulsivity. In summary, 30% restriction in maternal caloric intake has long lasting neurobehavioral outcomes in adolescent male baboon offspring.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Pregnancy and Newborn Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Health Science Center, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA

    Jesse S. Rodriguez PhD, Peter W. Nathanielsz MD, PhD & Mark J. Nijland PhD

  2. Department of Anthropology, University of Texas, San Antonio, TX, USA

    Thad Q. Bartlett PhD

  3. Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Kathryn E. Keenan PhD

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  1. Jesse S. Rodriguez PhD
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  2. Thad Q. Bartlett PhD
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  3. Kathryn E. Keenan PhD
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  4. Peter W. Nathanielsz MD, PhD
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  5. Mark J. Nijland PhD
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Correspondence to Jesse S. Rodriguez PhD.

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Rodriguez, J.S., Bartlett, T.Q., Keenan, K.E. et al. Sex-Dependent Cognitive Performance in Baboon Offspring Following Maternal Caloric Restriction in Pregnancy and Lactation. Reprod. Sci. 19, 493–504 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719111424439

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