Searching for Molecular Markers in the Prefrontal Cortex and Hippocampus of Rat Offspring Following Exposure to Maternal Western Diet

This study examined the effects of long-term maternal Western diet exposure (administered for six weeks prior to mating and maintained throughout gestation and lactation) on gene expression in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of male and female offspring. Gene expression was assessed using mRNA sequencing. Following weaning at postnatal day 22, all offspring were maintained on a standard diet. Control dams and their offspring were fed a standard diet throughout the entire experimental period. Brain tissue was collected at postnatal days 30 and 60 for subsequent molecular analyses.