The effect of pyrithioxine and pyridoxine on individual behavior, social interactions, and learning in rats malnourished in early postnatal life

Abstract

Low protein (LP) or low calorie (LC) dietary regimens were applied in early postnatal life(1st-40th day of life) in male rats. After nutritional rehabilitation, open-field behavior in larger more illuminated boxes (HI, high intensity stimulus), and smaller, less illuminated boxes (HI, high intensity stimulus), and smaller, less illuminated boxes (HI, high intensity stimulus), and smaller, less illuminated boxes (HI, high intensity stimulus), dyadic interactions, and learning ability were investigated in these animals as adults (between the 200th to 300th day of life). LP malnutrition induced an increase of open-field activity with features of sterotypy both in LI and HI situations, an increase number of intersignal reactions during learning procedures without changes in other registered criteria of learning ability (latency, number of correct responses), and an increase of aggressive behavior in pair interaction. LC rats revealed only significant inhibition in LI--open-field activity and a slightly increased number in intersignal reactions during avoidance learning. With the aim of preventing previously described long-term deviations in early malnourished rats, some groups of animals with the above-mentioned early calorie or protein deficits were treated with pyrithioxine (Encephabol Merck) or pyridoxine in 10 doses of 40 mg/kg i.p. administered in the period when nutritional rehabilitation was carried out (between the 40th--50th day of life). The treatment with pyrithioxine reduced significantly behavioral disturbances in adult LP rats except the increase of intersignal reactions which was even potentiated. Pyridoxine was less effective but normalized the increase number of intersignal reactions both in LP and LC rats. The effect of pyridoxine of adult LC rats was interesting. There was significant improvement in all registered parameters of avoidance learning and a significant increase of sexual acts was recorded.

Assessment of Nutritional Status and Signs of Growth among Bullying School Children

“…And consistent with (Tikal et al, 1976) who accentuate macronutrients deficiency were associated with increased behavior problems, the link between protein deficiency and aggressive behavior has been observed in rats. and in line with (Jackson et al, 2017) who topic bullying has revealed that a significant amount of kids and young people are harassed each year, poor nutrition may be an significant modifiable risk factor for adolescent bullying behaviors (10 -17 years), Results indicate that poor nutrition considerably improves youth chances of persistent bullying, findings indicate that attempts to enhance non-deviant youth nutrition may have the added advantage of decreasing their probability of persistent bullying.…”

Executive Functions of Postweaning Protein Malnutrition in Mice

“…11) The prenatal and early postnatal PM also causes various abnormal behaviors, such as increased exploratory behavior, 12,13) reduced anxiety, 13,14) decreased social interaction, 15) increased depressive behavior, 16) increased aggressive behavior, 17,18) prepulse inhibition deficits 19) and impairment of memory-related behavior. [20][21][22] In contrast, there are remarkably few reports concerning postweaning PM effects on the CNS.…”

Annotation: The role of prefrontal deficits, low autonomic arousal, and early health factors in the development of antisocial and aggressive behavior in children

“…There is also initial evidence for relationships between zinc and protein deficiency and aggression in animals (Tikal, Benesova, & Frankova, 1976; Halas, Reynolds, & Sandstead, 1977). There is extensive experimental evidence in animals that the offspring of rats fed a diet containing marginal levels of either zinc or protein throughout pregnancy and lactation showed impaired brain development (Oteiza, Hurley, Lonnerdal, & Keen, 1990; Bennis‐Taleb, Remacle, Hoet, & Reusens, 1999).…”