Abstract
To investigate the effect of dietary copper deficiency on brain catecholamines of newborn rats an experimental model was developed. Three groups of 10 female Sprague - Dawley rats were used. Group 1, copper deficient group, was fed with a copper-free diet 5 weeks prt-gestation and during gestation until delivery. Group II, the control, received a copper addecuate diet (6ppm). Group III, the pairfed, received a copper addecuate diet, but restringed according to the caloric input of the copper deficient group. Inmediatly after birth, the newborn rats from a total of 7; 4 and 7 litters of the groups I, II and III, respectively were decapited. Eleven assays of each group were performed. For each assay we used 1, 2, 3, or 4 whole brains minus cerebella. Whole brain dopamine and noradrenaline levels were quantified by high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detector. Copper deficient group showed a highly significant decrease in brain noradrenaline levels (50% lesser than others two groups: p = 0.0341), whereas dopamine concentrations remained largely unaltered. The levels of brain copper in the newborn rats in group 1 were significantively reduced (p = 0,0001) as well as brain weight (p = 0,0012). The CA1 sector neuronal counting was unaltered, however the girus dentatus counting showed a significant decrease in neuronal cellularity in Group I. We conclude that the materno-fetal copper deficiency altered the synthesis of noradrenaline. This could be a consequence of a functional impairment (possibly Dopamine - - hidroxilase enzyme dismiinished activity), however the possible role of the hypocellularity as the one observed in the girus dentatus sector can not be excluded.
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Lázaro, M., Monreal, I. & Elizega, I. EFFECT FO DIETARY COPPER DEFICIENCY ON BRAIN CATECHOLAMINES OF NEWBORN RATS. Pediatr Res 30, 650 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199112000-00161
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199112000-00161
