Effects of high-fat diet on growth and depression-like behavior of prenatal stress offspring rats

Abstract To investigate effects of high-fat diet (HFD) on body length, weight and depression-like behavior of prenatal stress (PS) offspring rats. PS rat model was established by restraint stress. Sucrose preference and forced swimming tests were performed. Moreover, the effects of HFD on the growth and depression-like behavior in offspring rats were observed. Length of male and female HF group was significantly longer than that control, but length of male PS+HF group was significantly shorter than HF group. Body weight of male and female HF group was significantly higher than control, and body weight of male PS+HF group was significantly lower than HF group. No significant differences were observed in length between female PS +HF and HF groups. Compared with male PS+HF group, growth rate of male HF group was significantly higher. Moreover, HFD could reduce sucrose preference, and prolong immobility time of PS offspring rats. HFD can promote weight gain of male and female normal offspring rats. PS can partially inhibit effects of HFD on weight gain of PS male offspring rats, but exert no significant effects on PS female offspring rats. HFD can aggravate PS-induced depression-like behavior in offspring rats.

摘要：本研究旨在探究高脂饮食（HFD）对产前应激（PS）子代大鼠的体长、体质量及抑郁样行为的影响。通过束缚应激法构建产前应激大鼠模型，开展蔗糖偏好实验与强迫游泳实验，观察高脂饮食对子代大鼠生长发育与抑郁样行为的影响。结果表明：雄性与雌性单纯高脂饮食组大鼠的体长均显著长于对照组，但雄性产前应激+高脂饮食组大鼠的体长则显著短于单纯高脂饮食组；雌性产前应激+高脂饮食组与单纯高脂饮食组大鼠的体长无显著差异。与雄性产前应激+高脂饮食组相比，雄性单纯高脂饮食组的生长速率显著更高。此外，高脂饮食可降低产前应激子代大鼠的蔗糖偏好率，并延长其不动时间；高脂饮食可促进正常子代雄性与雌性大鼠的体质量增长，产前应激可部分抑制高脂饮食对雄性产前应激子代大鼠体质量增长的促进作用，但对雌性产前应激子代大鼠无显著影响；高脂饮食可加剧产前应激诱导的子代大鼠抑郁样行为。