Maria do Carmo Medeiros

Conjugated linoleic acid in the maternal diet differentially enhances growth and cortical spreading depression in the rat progeny

BACKGROUND Conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) are fatty acids that are found in the lipids from goat milk, and appear to protect neurons from excitotoxicity. METHODS We investigated in developing rats the effects of a maternal CLA-rich diet (containing 7% lipids from goat milk) on body development and cerebral electrical activity of the progeny from dams receiving the CLA diet during gestation (G), lactation (L) or both periods (G+L). RESULTS Compared to a control group (C) receiving a diet with 7% soybean oil, body weight increased at 14, 21 and 28 days, but not at 35-45 days, in L and G+L groups (P<0.05). No intergroup difference was found on body and brain weights, body length, abdominal and thoracic circumferences, body mass index and abdominal to thoracic circumference ratio at 35-45 days. In contrast, at this later age the CSD velocities of propagation were significantly higher (P<0.05) in L as compared with the C and G group, and in the L+G, as compared with the C, G and L groups, suggesting a long-lasting brain effect. CONCLUSION These data indicate that a maternal CLA-rich diet can differentially influence body weight increment (short-term effect), and CSD propagation (long-term effect) in the progeny, and the lactation is the most critical period for such diet actions. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE The facilitating effect of the lipids from goat milk on an excitability-related phenomenon in the brain (CSD) can be of clinical relevance, since CSD has been associated to neurological disturbances like migraine and epilepsy.

Somatic and reflex development in suckling rats: effects of mother treatment with ketogenic diet associated with lack of protein

Abstract Ketogenic diets influence brain function and have been therapeutically used for anti-epileptic purposes. We investigated the effects of maternal ketogenic diets on the development of somatic and reflex responses in rat pups. These were born from mothers receiving: (i) normal fat (7%) + normal protein (17%); (ii) high-fat (55.4%) + normal protein; (iii) normal fat + low protein (8%); and (iv) high-fat + low protein (respectively, called N-17, K-17, N-8 and K-8). Ketogenic diets, but not the normal-fat diets, delayed the development of reflex and somatic responses. The effects were more evident when the ketogenic diet was associated with low protein content. The results suggest that fat excess can alter brain maturation, and this action is intensified by early protein-deficiency. Data raise concerns about the therapeutic use of ketogenic diets in newborn children.

Anxiety behavior is reduced, and physical growth is improved in the progeny of rat dams that consumed lipids from goat milk: An elevated plus maze analysis

The goat milk contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which can influence physical growth and brain development. This study investigated the impact of a diet containing goat milk fat (GMF) on physical parameters of gestating (G) and/or lactating (L) rat dams, and their progenys physical growth, and anxiety behavior. In the dams, body weight was evaluated during gestation and lactation. Maternal physical parameters, thoracic and abdominal circumference and liver weight were measured at weaning. In the progeny, indicators of somatic development, and consolidation of reflex responses (palm grasp, righting, free-fall righting, vibrissa placing, auditory startle response, negative geotaxis and cliff avoidance) were determined. Anxiety behavior was tested on the elevated plus maze (EPM). Compared to the controls, GMF-pups presented higher body weight and tail length at days 18 and 21 (groups G+L and L). In the L-group, cliff avoidance and free-fall righting responses were respectively delayed, and accelerated. Fur appearance was anticipated in G+L pups. On postnatal day 35, the EPM responses of the G group indicated less anxiety than in the controls. Data show developmental and behavioral modifications in the progeny of dams fed the GMF-rich diet consumed during gestation and lactation, suggesting the involvement of CLA in such effects.

Acceleration of reflex maturation and physical development in suckling rats: effects of a maternal diet containing lipids from goat milk

Abstract Objective To investigate the effects of lipids from goat milk containing conjugated linoleic acids on body weight and reflex ontogeny of neonatal rats treated during the prenatal and suckling periods. Methods Three groups were studied: soybean oil (S), coconut oil (C), and goat milk lipids (GM). Reflex maturation (palm grasp, righting reflex, cliff avoidance, vibrissae placing, negative geotaxis, auditory startle, and free-fall righting) as well as body weight evolution were recorded during lactation. Results Data demonstrated that the lipids from goat milk accelerated body weight evolution as well as all the reflex maturation investigated (P < 0.05). Discussion The supply of goats milk offered to Wistar rats during pregnancy and lactation provided a variety of fatty acids necessary to accelerate the development of offspring.

Efeitos de bebidas alcóolicas em mães lactantes e suas repercussões na prole

Foi feita uma revisao de estudos sobre os efeitos ocasionados pelo consumo de bebidas alcoolicas por lactantes, analisando os multiplos disturbios metabolicos, nutricionais e psicologicos evidenciados no organismo materno e dos recem-nascidos. E enfatizada a necessidade de orientacoes clinico-nutricionais nos servicos de pre-natal e puericultura acerca dos riscos da ingestao de bebidas alcoolicas em qualquer quantidade, por maes no periodo de gestacao e aleitamento.

Goat milk fat naturally enriched with conjugated linoleic acid increased lipoproteins and reduced triacylglycerol in rats.

Goat milk is source of different lipids, including conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). CLA reduces body fat and protect against cardiovascular diseases. In the present study fat from goat milk naturally enriched with CLA was used. Male Wistar rats were divided into three groups that received during a 10 week diet with different lipid sources: soybean oil (CON), coconut oil (CO) and goat milk fat naturally enriched with CLA (GM-CLA). We evaluated the effects of a GM-CLA on biochemistry parameters - high density lipoprotein (HDL), triacylglycerol (TAG), TAG/HDL ratio, total cholesterol and glucose -, body weight and histopathological aspects of the intestine and liver. GM-CLA increased body weight from the second to the fifth week of the experiment compared to CON. Feed intake differed between the CON group and GM-CLA early in the first to third week of the experiments and later between the ninth and tenth week. The CLA-diet group showed increased levels of HDL, reduced levels of TAG and TAG/HDL ratio and no effect on LDL, but enhanced total cholesterol. Serum glucose of the GM-CLA group showed no difference from the control group. Thus, a GM-CLA diet promoted growth in young rats and acted as protector of cardiovascular function, but further studies are still needed to clarify these effects.

Effects of the Electromagnetic field, 60 Hz, 3 µT, on the hormonal and metabolic regulation of undernourished pregnant rats

Epidemiological studies have implicated maternal protein-calorie deficiency as an important public health problem in developing countries. Over the last decades, a remarkable diffusion of electricity and an increased level of the electromagnetic field (EMF) in the environment have characterized modern societies. Therefore, researchers are concerned with the biological effects of 50-60 Hz, EMF. The aim of this paper is to show the effects of EMF of 60 Hz, 3 muT, exposure for two hours per day in the regulation of the hormonal and metabolic concentrations in pregnant rats, which were fed by Regional Basic Diet (RBD) during their pregnancy as compared with pregnant rats fed a standard diet. Pregnant rats exposed to EMF of 60 Hz, 3 muT, over the pregnancy and fed with RBD presented an increase in glucose release when compared with the Group subjected only to the RBD ration. Rats fed RBD presented a decrease in their insulin and cortisol serum levels when compared with the Group fed with casein. The T3 and T4 concentrations presented the greatest variation among the Groups. The relation T4:T3 was much exaggerated in the Group subjected to RDB and exposed to EMF when compared to the others. In conclusion, the group subjected to the association of EMF and undernutrition suffered a decrease in its serum concentration of T4 and T3 when compared to the well-nourished group and the relationship T4:T3 in the former group was almost eighteen-fold the later one.

Influence of a 60 Hz, 3 μT, electromagnetic field on the reflex maturation of wistar rats offspring from mothers fed a regional basic diet during pregnancy

Abstract The aim of the present study was to observe how the exposition of the pregnant rats to the electromagnetic field (EMF), with frequency of 60 Hz, magnetic field of 3 μT for 2 h per day and/or using the so-called regional basic diet (RED) influenced the reflex maturation in their offspring. Four groups were formed: Group A (casein), B (casein and EMF), C (RED) and D (RED and EMF). The diet manipulation occurred during the pregnancy. The reflexes—assessed daily between 12:00 and 14:00—were: palm grasp (PG), righting reflex (RR), cliff avoidance (CA), vibrissae placing (VP), negative geotaxis (NG), auditory startle (AS) and free-fall righting (FFR). The association between EMF and deficient diet caused a delay in all reflexes when compared with Group A. When the diets were compared with both groups exposed to EMF, the delay occurred in the RR, VP, NG and CA in Group D. In the Groups C and A, the delay was observed in RR, CA, VP, NG, AS and PG. In relation to the EMF, Group B differed from Group A in CA, AS, FFR and PG and Group D differed from C in the PG. In conclusion, all the reflexes studied in this research were delayed by the association of the EMF with undernutrition during pregnancy.

Possíveis efeitos adversos dos campos eletromagnéticos (50/60 Hz) em humanos e em animais

Os avancos tecnologicos tem aumentado o numero de equipamentos eletricos e eletronicos, seja nas residencias ou mesmo no ambiente de trabalho, fazendo com que a populacao conviva com grande numero de fontes de irradiacao eletromagnetica, com os mais diversos niveis de potencia e frequencia. Por muitos anos, alguns cientistas e engenheiros acreditaram que o campo eletromagnetico (CEM) com frequencia extremamente baixa nao pudesse causar efeitos e alteracoes significantes no material biologico. O objetivo deste trabalho e verificar os possiveis efeitos adversos dos CEMs em humanos e animais, que foram publicados nos ultimos anos, atraves de uma revisao da literatura disponivel em Medline, revistas nacionais e internacionais e catalogos de obras de referencia na area dos CEM (50/60 Hz). Como resultado foi observado que o CEM (50/60 Hz) e capaz de produzir diversos efeitos adversos em humanos e animais, como por exemplo: disturbios na reproducao, doencas degenerativas, efeitos psiquiatricos e psicologicos, alteracoes citogeneticas, alteracoes no sistema cardiovascular, nervoso e neuroendocrino, bem como nos parâmetros biologicos e bioquimicos. Apesar de todas estas constatacoes e devido a muitas controversias entre varios autores, faz-se necessario um estudo mais especifico e aprofundado sobre o assunto.

Influence of a 60 Hz, 3 µT, electromagnetic field on the somatic maturation of wistar rat offspring fed a regional basic diet during pregnancy

The aim of the present study was to observe how the exposition of pregnant rats to an electromagnetic field (EMF), with frequency of 60 Hz, and a magnetic field of 3 microT for 2 hours per day and/or using the so-called Regional Basic Diet (RBD), influenced the somatic maturation in their offspring. Four groups were formed: Group A (casein), B (casein and EMF), C (RBD) and D (RBD and EMF). The diet manipulation occurred during pregnancy. The somatic maturation indexes--assessed daily between 12:00 AM and 2:00 PM--were: Eye Opening (EO), Auricle Opening (AO), Auditory Canal Opening (ACO), Low Incisor Eruption (LIE), and Upper Incisor Eruption (UIE). The association between EMF and deficient diet caused a delay in all Somatic Maturation Indexes (SMI) and the RBD caused delay only in the AO. Furthermore, the EMF caused delay in AO, ACO, LIE. In relation to the body weight, the EMF associated with the deficient diet caused change in the twenty-first day of life. The RBD, during pregnancy, caused lower body weight in the offspring in the first and third day of life. The body weight of the offspring whose mothers were fed casein and exposed to the EMF during pregnancy was lower in the third and sixth day of life. In conclusion, the EMF associated with under-nutrition caused delay in all SMI. In relation to the body weight, the EMF associated with under-nutrition caused a decrease in the body weight at the sixth day of life.