Dissociable effects of dietary sodium in early life upon somatic growth, fluid homeostasis, and spatial memory in mice of both sexes. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2021 Apr 01;320(4):R438-R451
Date
01/14/2021Pubmed ID
33439766Pubmed Central ID
PMC8238146DOI
10.1152/ajpregu.00281.2020Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85103803949 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 5 CitationsAbstract
Postnatal growth failure is a common morbidity for preterm infants and is associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. Although sodium (Na) deficiency early in life impairs somatic growth, its impact on neurocognitive functions has not been extensively studied. We hypothesized that Na deficiency during early life is sufficient to cause growth failure and program neurobehavioral impairments in later life. C57BL/6J mice were placed on low- (0.4), normal- (1.5), or high- (3 g/kg) Na chow at weaning (PD22) and continued on the diet for 3 wk (to PD40). Body composition and fluid distribution were determined serially by time-domain NMR and bioimpedance spectroscopy, and anxiety, learning, and memory were assessed using the elevated plus maze and Morris water maze paradigms in later adulthood (PD63-PD69). During the diet intervention, body mass gains were suppressed in the low- compared with normal- and high-Na groups despite similar caloric uptake rates across groups. Fat mass was reduced in males but not in females fed low-Na diet. Fat-free mass and hydration were significantly reduced in both males and females fed the low-Na diet, although rapidly corrected after return to normal diet. Measures of anxiety-like behavior and learning in adulthood were not affected by diet in either sex, yet memory performance was modified by a complex interaction between sex and early life Na intake. These data support the concepts that Na deficiency impairs growth and that the amount of Na intake which supports optimal somatic growth during early life may be insufficient to fully support neurocognitive development.
Author List
Segar JL, Grobe CC, Balapattabi K, Ritter ML, Reho JJ, Grobe JLAuthors
Justin L. Grobe PhD Professor in the Physiology department at Medical College of WisconsinJohn J. Reho Research Scientist II in the Physiology department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Jeffrey L. Segar MD Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
Age FactorsAnimal Feed
Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
Animals
Behavior, Animal
Body Composition
Diet, Sodium-Restricted
Female
Male
Mice
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Nervous System
Nutritional Status
Sodium, Dietary
Spatial Memory
Water-Electrolyte Balance
Weight Gain
