Maternal dietary restriction during lactation influences postnatal growth and behavior in the offspring of mice

It is well known that maternal nutritional status is important to the development of mammalian offspring. We examined the effect of maternal food restriction during lactation on offspring in mice. From 1 to 21 days after parturition, control dams (CDs) were fed with the standard amounts of daily food consumption, whereas dietary restricted dams (RDs) received 70% of daily food consumption. Although the mean body weight of RDs was not significantly different from that of the CDs, body weight of the offspring from RD (RD offspring) was significantly lower than that of the offspring from CD (CD offspring). The difference was detectable until 10 weeks of age. Body lengths and brain weights of RD offspring at postnatal day 22 were lower than those of the CD offspring. Plasma concentrations of leptin in RD offspring decreased significantly. But plasma concentrations of growth hormone and thyroxin were not different between the two groups. In the open field tests, total distance was significantly decreased in RD offspring compared with CD offspring. In the hole-board test, head dip latency was increased and the number of dips was decreased significantly in RD offspring. In the elevated plus maze test, total distance and risk assessment were significantly decreased in the RD offspring. There was no difference between the two groups in the rota-rod and wire-hang tests. These results suggest that maternal dietary restriction during lactation can affect the growth, locomotor activity and anxiety behavior of offspring, but not motor or neuromuscular function.