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Marginal Protein Deficiency in Pregnant Rats. II. Impaired Behavior during Pregnancy

Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139

Pregnant and nonpregnant female rats were fed diets containing either 25% casein (adequate) or 7.5% casein (low protein). The diets were fed in different combinations over two periods during pregnancy, namely days 4–12 and days 13–21. During these two periods, groups were given sequences of either adequate-adequate, adequate-low, low-adequate or low-low protein diets. Behavioral observations were made both in the breeding cage of each rat and in an open area (field) on days 15 and 20 of pregnancy. Pregnancy by itself caused a number of behavioral changes including reduced general activity, increased grooming and increased time sleeping. The protein level of the diet at the time of testing was found to affect behavior but not the protein level of the diet fed previously. In the breeding cage, low dietary protein reduced ventromedial grooming in pregnant rats, a behavior related to mammary development in preparation for lactating. In the open field, rearing on the hind legs was decreased among pregnant animals on the low-protein diet, a finding which may be associated with loss of muscle substance. Both of these behavioral changes have implications for the ability of the female to subsequently raise her offspring as well as to interact with her environment during pregnancy.

KEY WORDS: • protein deficiency • pregnancy • behavior • home cage • open field

¹ And Department of Child Psychiatry, Boston University Medical Center, Boston, MA 02118.

² Dr. Galler was supported by the Medical Foundation, Boston, MA, and Biomedical Research Support Grants NIH RR05380-18 and NIH RR05487-15.

Manuscript received 5 November 1979.