Early protein malnutrition impairs social memory in adult rats
Keywords:
protein malnutrition, social behavior, ratsAbstract
Objective
The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of early protein malnutrition on the social
memory of adult rats (Rattus norvegicus) using an experimental procedure.
Methods
The animals received isocaloric diets containing 6% or 16% of protein during the lactation phase (0-21 days
of age) and a commercial lab chow as from 22 days of age. The social memory test consisted of, after 2 daily
habituation sessions (7minutes/session), to introduce an adult rat (100-114 days of age) and a young rat
(30-44 days of age) into an acrylic cage (90cm.x.90cm.x.45cm), for two sessions separated by intervals of 30
(Experiment 1) or 15 (Experiment 2) minutes. Social contact was defined as exploration/sniffing the anogenital
region of the rat. The difference in the time spent in social contact between the first and second sessions was
defined as the memory index.
Results
No differences were observed in Experiment 1 due to the diet conditions. In Experiment 2, social contact
decreased from the first to the second session in the controls (p<0.05) in contrast to the malnourished
animals, who showed no differences.
Conclusion
These results suggest that early protein malnutrition impairs the social memory in adult rats.
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