Maternal high fat diet consumption during the perinatal period programs offspring behavior

Abstract

The environment that developing offspring experience during the perinatal period is markedly influenced by maternal health and diet composition. Evidence from both epidemiological studies and animal models indicates that maternal diet and metabolic status play a critical role in programming the neural circuitry that regulates behavior, resulting in long-term consequences for offspring behavior. Maternal diet and metabolic state influence the behavior of offspring directly by impacting the intrauterine environment and indirectly by modulating maternal behavior. The mechanisms by which maternal diet and metabolic profile shape the perinatal environment remain largely unknown, but recent research has found that increases in inflammatory cytokines, nutrients (glucose and fatty acids), and hormones (insulin and leptin) affect the environment of the developing offspring. Offspring exposed to maternal obesity and high fat diet consumption during development are more susceptible to developing mental health and behavioral disorders such as anxiety, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism spectrum disorders. Recent evidence suggests that this increased risk for behavioral disorders is driven by modifications in the development of neural pathways involved in behavioral regulation. In particular, research indicates that the development of the serotonergic system is impacted by exposure to maternal obesity and high fat diet consumption, and this disruption may underlie many of the behavioral disturbances observed in these offspring. Given the high rates of obesity and high fat diet consumption in pregnant women, it is vital to examine the influence that maternal nutrition and metabolic profile have on the developing offspring.

Obesity and anxiety during pregnancy and postpartum: A systematic review

“…A recently published causal model of obesity describes emotional distress (including anxiety) as a causal factor linking socio-economic disadvantage with behavioral and neurophysiological changes associated with weight gain (Hemmingsson, 2014). A very striking feature of these shared mechanisms is that through these mechanisms maternal metabolic and mental health may program offspring metabolic and mental health (Bogaerts et al, 2014;Nousen et al, 2013;Sullivan et al, 2014Sullivan et al, , 2011.…”

“…Excessive GWG has been shown to be associated with increased birth weight and fetal growth ) as well as childhood overweight (Nehring et al, 2013). Furthermore there is evidence that maternal obesity and high fat diet consumption during pregnancy also increase offspring vulnerability for mental or behavioral disorders (Sullivan et al, 2014(Sullivan et al, , 2011. High PPWR refers to a failure to lose pregnancy-related weight after delivery.…”

Microbiome Disturbances and Autism Spectrum Disorders

“…The recent surge in frequency may be partly attributed to increased awareness/ diagnosis; however, intrinsic and extrinsic factors (including environmental chemicals, diet alterations, metabolic status, and microbiota changes) cannot be excluded (Rizzo et al, 1997;Bello, 2007;Newschaffer et al, 2007;Deth et al, 2008;Rogers, 2008;Leeming and Lucock, 2009;Currenti, 2010;Landrigan, 2010;Beard et al, 2011;LaSalle, 2011;Chaste and Leboyer, 2012;Krakowiak et al, 2012;Jones et al, 2013;Lyall et al, 2013;Gore et al, 2014;Sullivan et al, 2014). While extensive heterogeneity exists in ASD patients, this class of disorders is typified by a range of symptoms including decreased verbal communication and social skills, outright withdrawal, insistence on sameness in the daily routine, engagement in repetitive behaviors, and heightened response to external stimuli.…”

Prenatal Exposure to Maternal Obesity Alters Anxiety and Stress Coping Behaviors in Aged Mice

“…There is growing evidence from both epidemiological studies and animal models indicating that maternal health and diet composition during pregnancy programs fetal development to ultimately regulate the physiology and behavior of the offspring [1]. The concept of fetal programming, whereby the early life environment later contributes to adult disease vulnerability [2], has been strongly reinforced by findings demonstrating that suboptimal maternal nutritional status is associated with an increased risk of developing chronic diseases.…”

“…In particular, substantial evidence demonstrates that maternal obesity increases the offspring's risk of later developing obesity and metabolism-related disorders [3,4,5,6]. Beyond fetal programming of metabolic disturbances, maternal obesity has been associated with adverse effects on offspring's brain development [1]. Specifically, animal studies have noted alterations in hippocampal and hypothalamic regions, alterations in serotonergic, dopaminergic, and opioid neurotransmitter systems, and resulting alterations in cognitive and affective behaviors in offspring born to obese mothers [1,7].…”