Effects of short-term exposure to low doses of bisphenol A on cellular senescence in the adult rat kidney.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the primary chemicals produced by volume worldwide. Extensive literature has raised many concerns about its possible involvement in the pathogenesis of kidney diseases, but its contribution has not been extensively studied. During cellular senescence, the interference of lipofuscin with cellular functions promotes further senescence, causing cellular malfunction. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) plays an important protective role in the setting of kidney injury. The goal of the present work was to evaluate the effects of short-term treatment with low doses of BPA on cellular senescence in adult rat kidneys. Male Wistar rats were injected with vehicle (CONTROL group) or 50 or 500 µg/kg/day of BPA for 1 week (BPA50 and BPA500 groups, respectively). The kidneys were fixed in 4% buffered formaldehyde and embedded in paraffin. Immunohistochemical analyses were performed, and an immunoreactive score (IRS) was calculated. Lipofuscin autofluorescence was used for the study of cellular senescence. The renal cortex showed diffuse autofluorescent lipofuscin signal in the proximal convoluted tubules (PCTs) of males in the BPA50-treated (weak intensity) and BPA500-treated (strong intensity) groups, but not in CONTROL males. Labeling of cortical PCTs with anti-IGF-1 antibodies showed an IRS of 0 in the CONTROL group, but IRSs of 4 and 6 in the BPA50- and BPA500-treated groups, respectively. The present results suggest that low, "safe" doses of BPA induce renal injury, as measured by histological signs of renal changes, increased cellular senescence, and activation of cellular repair systems in PCTs.

Sex-specific influence of maternal exposure to bisphenol A on sodium and fluid balance in response to dipsogenic challenges in rats.

The plasticizer bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the highest volume chemicals produced worldwide. Human exposure to BPA occurs almost constantly. BPA is an endocrine disruptor that interferes in estrogen receptor functions. This is important for the developing brain, which is particularly sensitive to the estrogenic effects of BPA. Body fluid balance is maintained by a complex network of systems that regulate sodium and water intakes and electrolyte excretion. The development of these control systems occurs during early life and therefore, may be susceptible to changes in the uterine environment. The aim of this work was to study the effects of two low BPA doses in the dam, during pregnancy and lactation, on adult offspring drinking and sodium and urine excretion after dipsogenic challenge. Dams were exposed to BPA in drinking water to mimic the most likely route of human exposure. The results showed that BPA did not disrupt spontaneous fluid balance, but altered sodium and fluid intakes in the BPA offspring under osmotic challenges. In experiments, both 24h fluid deprivation and sodium depletion modified fluid ingestive response in BPA offspring compared to control offspring. The increased preference for 2.7% NaCl solution in male BPA offspring is similar to female control offspring, altered ingestive behavior appears to be due to feminization of males and "hyperfeminization" of female BPA offspring, as they drink more than female control offspring. Our results indicate that exposure to low doses of BPA in early life may disrupt the development of sex-specific drinking behaviors by altering the steroid programming of the brain, and this disruption affects males and females differently.

Chronic exposure to low doses of bisphenol A alters hydromineral responses in rats.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical commonly used in the industrial sectors, hence humans are exposed to the compound repetitively. BPA is an endocrine disruptor and has been anticipated to interfere on chemical estrogen receptor functions and other nuclear hormone receptors. Estrogens are steroid hormones that, in addition to their neuroendocrine roles, affect water and salt intakes in numerous species, including humans and rodents. Changes in the hydrosaline balance produce compensatory behavioral and physiological responses, which serve to preserve or restore osmolarity and blood volume to optimal levels, thus preventing cardiovascular disease. The aim of the present work was to determine for first time the effect of long-term and low-dose BPA treatment on thirst and sodium appetite. Wistar rats were exposed to BPA via drinking water to mimic the most likely route of human exposure, and different dipsogenic and natriorexigenic stimuli were assessed. The BPA-treated rats tend to drink less water that control rats following 24-h fluid restriction, but there was no statistically significant decrease. Perhaps the BPA dose does not have enough estrogenic potency to affect water intake. In the extracellular fluid depletion test, the control rats significantly increased 2.7% NaCl solution intake on repeated testing, showing sodium appetite sensitization, i.e. the capacity to enhance sodium intake produced by stimulus repetition; whereas BPA-treated rats did not. In this study, fluid and electrolyte balance in BPA-treated rats is generally adequate but impaired in osmotic challenges, for example by sodium depletion. Thus, neuroendocrine systems involved in maintaining body fluid and electrolyte homeostasis were altered in BPA-treated rats.

Short-term exposure to bisphenol A affects water and salt intakes differently in male and ovariectomised female rats.

Thirst and sodium appetite are motivational states that lead to the search for and ingestion of water and sodium, thus contributing to maintenance of hydromineral balance. Oestrogens affect fluid intake and sodium preference. Bisphenol A (BPA) is an environmental endocrine-disrupting substance with oestrogenic activity. Whether there are sex differences in the ingestive effects of BPA is unknown. Therefore, the aim of the present work was to determine the effect of short-term treatment of low doses of BPA on thirst and sodium appetite in adult male and ovariectomised Wistar rats. Rats were subcutaneously injected with either vehicle or 10, 50, 100, or 500 µg/kg/day BPA for a week. Two-bottle tests (water and 2.7% NaCl solution) were conducted in the animals' home cages with and without 24 h water deprivation. BPA reduced water and 2.7% NaCl intakes in a sex-dependent-manner. Fluid intakes displayed inverted U-shaped dose-response curves, with different dose dependencies in spontaneously drinker rats than after 24 h water deprivation dehydration. Future studies on the role of BPA in sex-dependent body fluid homeostasis should elucidate the effects of BPA on the neuroendocrine controls of thirst and salt appetite.

The effects of experimental gestational hypertension on maternal blood pressure and fluid intake and pre-weanling hypothalamic neuronal activity.

To examine the fetal programming effects of maternal hypertension, natriophilia and hyperreninemia [experimentally induced in rats by partial inter-renal aortic ligature (PAL) prior to mating] fos immunoreactivity was studied in 6-day-old offspring of PAL and control mothers. The purposes of the present set of experiments were twofold. The first was to characterize the effects of PAL on the mother's arterial blood pressure and intake of salt (1.8% NaCl solution) and water over the course of gestation. Second, was to study the pattern of neuronal activation in key brain areas of 6-day-old offspring treated with the dipsogen isoproterenol that were from PAL and control mothers. Beta-adrenergic receptor agonist-treated pups allowed the determination whether there were neuroanatomical correlates within the neural substrates controlling thirst and the enhanced water intake evidenced by the isoproterenol treated pups of PAL mothers. Hydromineral ingestive behavior along with blood pressure and heart rate of PAL (M-PAL) and control (M-sPAL) dams throughout gestation was studied. Higher salt and water intakes along with blood pressures and heart rates were found during gestation and lactation in the M-PAL group. Maternal PAL evoked significantly increased isoproterenol-elicited Fos staining in brain regions (e.g. subfornical organ, organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis, supraoptic nucleus, hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus and median preoptic nucleus) of 6-day-old pups, which is the age of animals shown enhanced thirst responses in PAL offspring. These results indicate that PAL is compatible with pregnancy, producing a sustained increase in blood pressure and heart rate, along with increased water and salt intake. The present study demonstrates that the neural substrates involved in cardiovascular homeostasis and fluid balance in adult rats are responsive in six-day-old rats, and can be altered by fetal programming.

Study of the impact of multiple sclerosis on the reproductive life of Spanish women: An online survey.

BACKGROUND: Women have a higher risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) than men. The natural reproductive period from menarche to menopause corresponds to the period of active inflammatory disease in MS. Mothers and pregnant women with MS need information about how their disease may affect pregnancy and breastfeeding. AIM: The aim was to explore the reproductive factors in an MS-diagnosed population and to identify ways to support patients and their decision-making process. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional, Web-based survey of women living with MS in Asturias (Spain) using a community-based participatory approach. FINDINGS: Early menarche may predict the onset of MS. Pregnancy improves the general health of patients and reduces the number of relapses. Breastfeeding is often not practised and may cause concern in women. MS does not affect the age of menopause, but it can worsen symptoms. However, menopause does not increase the number of MS relapses. CONCLUSIONS: MS is increasingly diagnosed at an earlier age, which increases the number of women who become pregnant after being diagnosed with MS. The decrease in MS relapses during pregnancy and the increase during the postpartum period are consistent with previous reports. Women who choose to breastfeed are in the minority due to treatment incompatibility, although some currently used treatments are compatible with breastfeeding. However, there is a lack of information on this which should be investigated.

Impact on Fecal Microbiota and Health-Related Markers of an Intervention Focused on Improving Eating Behavior in People at Risk of Food Insecurity.

Non-communicable diseases are particularly prevalent among low-income individuals and are associated with the consumption of processed foods, fat, and sugars. This work aims to evaluate the impacts of a nutrition education intervention for low socio-economic individuals on sensory perception, health-related parameters and gut microbiota. Twenty low-income adults underwent a 4-week intervention. Dietary information (three 24 h recalls), detection thresholds and discrimination scores (salty and sweet), and severity of depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II)) were collected. Fecal microbial composition and short chain fatty acids were determined by 16S ribosomal RNA-gene sequencing and gas chromatography, respectively. After the intervention, 35% of subjects presented higher compliance with dietary recommendations, increased consumption of vegetables and lignans and reduced consumption of processed meats and nitrosamines, together with depleted levels of Actinomycetota. Higher discrimination for salty and sweet and lower BDI-II scores were also obtained. This nutrition education intervention entailed changes in dietary intake towards healthier food options, reduced potentially carcinogenic compounds and improved scores for discrimination and severity of depressive symptoms. The confirmation of these results in future studies would enable the design of strategic policies contributing to the optimal nutrition of materially deprived families through affordable healthy plant-based interventions.

Circadian urinary citrate excretion in a rat model of exercise.

AIMS: Circadian rhythms are the approximate 24h biological cycles that function to prepare an organism for daily environmental changes. Circadian rhythms unquestionably play critical roles in metabolic homeostasis and the exercise has emerged as a strong non-photic time cue or zeitgeber in animal models and humans. Numerous studies about the effects of exercise on the citrate synthase activity have been published. Citrate is used to assess energy production or expenditure because it is a substrate of the Krebs Cycle, a cycle for oxidative energy production. MAIN METHODS: We tested the existence of a rhythmic urinary citrate excretion in a rat model that is made to exercise at six different points during the day. KEY FINDINGS: The data obtained by the enzyme assays were fitted to a mathematical model (Fourier series), showing for the first time, the existence of a distinct ultradian rhythm in the urinary citrate excretion. The aerobic exercise led to the increase in the period length of the ultradian rhythm and raised the acrophase value of the urinary citrate excretion. Therefore, the urinary citrate excretion pattern changed after exercise, showing a clear circadian rhythm fitted to the mathematical model. SIGNIFICANCE: The citrate urine samples could provide accurate data for ranking an individual's metabolic status. Using exercise to maintain the circadian clock at an appropriate phase and amplitude might be effective to prevent cardiometabolic disease development.

Developmental programing of thirst and sodium appetite.

Thirst and sodium appetite are the sensations responsible for the motivated behaviors of water and salt intake, respectively, and both are essential responses for the maintenance of hydromineral homeostasis in animals. These sensations and their related behaviors develop very early in the postnatal period in animals. Many studies have demonstrated several pre- and postnatal stimuli that are responsible for the developmental programing of thirst and sodium appetite and, consequently, the pattern of water and salt intake in adulthood in need-free or need-induced conditions. The literature systematically reports the involvement of dietary changes, hydromineral and cardiovascular challenges, renin-angiotensin system and steroid hormone disturbances, and lifestyle in these developmental factors. Therefore, this review will address how pre- and postnatal challenges can program lifelong thirst and sodium appetite in animals and humans, as well as which neuroendocrine substrates are involved. In addition, the possible epigenetic molecular mechanisms responsible for the developmental programing of drinking behavior, the clinical implications of hydromineral disturbances during pre- and postnatal periods, and the developmental origins of adult hydromineral behavior will be discussed.

Consumo excesivo de sal e hipertensión arterial: Implicaciones para la salud pública / Excessive consumption of salt and hypertension: Implications for public health

Resumen La sal es necesaria para el buen funcionamiento del organismo, pero el aumento excesivo de su ingesta está produciendo incremento en la incidencia de hipertensión arterial (HTA), la que constituye el principal factor de riesgo de muerte en el mundo, y el segundo de discapacidad por enfermedad cardiaca y accidente cerebrovascular. El objetivo de este trabajo fue revisar, desde una perspectiva actual, las relaciones existentes entre el consumo de sal (CNS) y la salud pública, haciendo énfasis en la HTA, así como en las políticas existentes encaminadas a reducir su sobreuso. Múltiples estudios señalan que la reducción del CNS en la población es una de las medidas más eficaces. Sin embargo, la adición de sal durante el cocinado no es el único problema, ya que la mayor cantidad proviene de los alimentos preparados o precocinados. Por tanto, la lucha contra el consumo excesivo de sal debe concebirse como una actividad permanente de los servicios médicos, con el apoyo constante de las autoridades públicas y la colaboración de las industrias alimentarias, a través de reducir o eliminar la adición de sal de los preparados, siguiendo las recomendaciones científicas emitidas en los últimos años.

Abstract Salt is necessary for the proper functioning of the organism, but the excessive use of it in feeding has increased the incidence of arterial hypertension (AHT), which constitutes the main risk factor of death in the world, and the second of disability due to heart disease and brain strokes. The aim of this work was to review, from a current perspective, the relationships between salt consumption (SCN) and public health, with emphasis on AHT, as well as in the existing policies aimed at reducing its overuse. Multiple studies indicate that the reduction of SCN is one of the most effective measures. However, the addition of salt during cooking is not the only problem, since the greatest amount of salt comes from precooked foods. Therefore, the fight against excessive SCN should be conceived as a permanent activity of medical services, with the constant support of public authorities, and collaboration of food industries by reducing or eliminating salt addition from prepared meals, following the scientific recommendations issued in recent years.

Ingestive behavior in rat pups is modified by maternal sodium depletion.

Developmental programming by maternal stress during pregnancy is found to influence behavioral development in the offspring. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of maternal sodium depletion in rats during pregnancy on the development of thirst mechanisms in the offspring. Pregnant rats underwent 3 episodes of saline depletion, induced by injecting sc 10 mg of Furosemide in saline (0.5 ml). The treatment, given on the 14th, 17th and 20th days post-conception, is thought to induce acute sodium depletion on dams. The offspring were tested for their drinking responses to Isoproterenol (500 µg/kg sc). In accordance to the known sequence of ontogenic development of drinking mechanisms, all groups of pups drunk after being stimulated with Isoproterenol at 6 days of age. The offspring from Furosemide-treated dams drank significantly less than the control group after Isoproterenol (p<0.001). Nevertheless, basal intake (water drunk after vehicle-saline only) was also significantly lower in these pups (p<0.001). In conclusion, offspring exposed to saline depletion in utero, modify their thirst responses at 6 day of age. This confirms that in utero conditions determine thirst responses in the offspring and they could provide adaptive advantages.

Adaptación y aplicación del cuestionario CLASS (Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey) para la valoración de actitudes y creencias científicas en alumnos de enseñanza secundaria y universitaria / Adaptating and implementing CLASS questionnaire (Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey) for assessment of scientific attitudes and beliefs in secondary school and university students

INTRODUCCIÓN: La evaluación de conocimientos y habilidades ha sido objeto de estudio durante muchos años; sin embargo, la valoración de las actitudes requiere un abordaje diferente. OBJETIVO: Utilizar una herramienta metodológica sencilla (cuestionario CLASS-Bio) que permita comparar la evolución de las percepciones acerca de la disciplina de biología y fisiología de los estudiantes noveles, comparándola con las de estudiantes de cursos superiores, con el fin de poder analizar la influencia de la docencia sobre estas percepciones y actitudes. SUJETOS Y MÉTODOS: Los participantes fueron 288 estudiantes, pertenecientes a dos grupos: un grupo de bachillerato (41 alumnos de primero y 59 de segundo curso) y un grupo de universitarios de primer curso (92 alumnos de enfermería, 53 de fisioterapia y 25 de logopedia). La puntuación favorable representa el porcentaje en que el estudiante contesta como experto. RESULTADOS: Los resultados fueron más próximos a los obtenidos por el grupo de expertos en segundo curso de bachillerato, con un desplazamiento hacia la mejoría, comparado con los obtenidos en el curso anterior. Las respuestas de grupos de universitarios de enfermería y fisioterapia arrojaron resultados similares, evolucionando hacia unas percepciones más próximas a las de los expertos, y al mismo tiempo bastantes diferentes a las obtenidos con los alumnos de logopedia. CONCLUSIONES: La adaptación al castellano del cuestionario CLASS-Bio puede utilizarse como herramienta metodológica válida para valorar el proceso continuo de enseñanza-aprendizaje y evaluar la influencia de la docencia sobre las creencias y actitudes de los estudiantes

INTRODUCTION: Over the last years, evaluation of knowledge and attitudes in biology education has received a strong call to improve. AIM: To use an easy methodological tool (CLASS-Bio questionnaire) that allows measuring novice-to-expert-like perceptions evolution about Biology and/or Physiology disciplines. In this way, we will be able to analyze the influence over the perceptions and attitudes. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The participants were 288 students distributed in two groups: a group of high school students (41 of senior secondary school, 1st course; and 59 of senior secondary school, 2nd course), and another one of undergraduate students (1st year): 92 of Nursing Degree, 53 of Physiotherapy Degree and 25 of Speech Therapist Degree. The favorable rating is quantified by comparing students' responses with a consensus expert response. RESULTS: The 2nd senior secondary school students' results were more similar to the expert responses than the 1st senior secondary school students; this displacement or shifts indicated an improvement at the 2nd year in the high school. Responses found in the groups of Nursing and Physiotherapy students were similar, evolving closer to the expert perceptions, and quite different compared with the Speech Therapist students responses. It is gratifying to consider how health biosciences students observe these basic subjects more connected to the real world. CONCLUSIONS: Spanish adaptation of CLASS-Bio questionnaire could be used as an accessible methodological tool in order to analyze the continuous evolution of teaching and learning process at different academic stages

Orthodontic tooth movement after different coxib therapies.

Anti-inflammatory substances used for treatment of pain and discomfort related to orthodontic treatment (OT) could slow down tooth movement. Selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors are an alternative to conventional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The aim of this study was to compare different coxibs on dental movement in the rat. Twenty-eight Wistar male rats (3 months old) divided into four experimental groups were studied: (1) Five rats underwent a 50 g coil spring implantation and received three injections of 0.5 mg/kg body weight (bw) of Rofecoxib in the maxillary gingiva, close to the first molar, on the day of implantation and after 3 and 5 days. Similar procedures were carried out (2) on six animals receiving 8 mg/kg bw of Celecoxib and (3) on five animals receiving 25 mg/kg bw of Parecoxib. (4) For the controls, 12 rats received the same OT but only equivolumetric 0.9 per cent saline solution injections. Tooth movement was measured on lateral cranial teleradiographs after 10 days of treatment. Non-parametric standard techniques (Wilcoxon, H, and Mann-Whitney, U) were used for statistical analysis. Mesial tooth displacement in the control animals was 0.33 +/- 0.07 mm. While no movement was found in rats treated with Rofecoxib, the Celecoxib- and Parecoxib-treated rats showed tooth movement of 0.42 +/- 0.09 mm and 0.22 +/- 0.04 mm, respectively. The differences were statistically significant (H = 13.07; P < 0.004). Celecoxib and Parecoxib, but not Rofecoxib, seem appropriate for discomfort and pain relief while avoiding interference during tooth movement.

C-reactive protein is elevated in the offspring of parents with essential hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Studies in adults have shown that high sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) levels are associated with increased risk of CVD and essential hypertension (EHT). Genetic background is widely accepted as a risk factor for CVD. The aim of the present study was to analyse the association of high sensitivity CRP levels with other cardiovascular risk factors in children and young adults with at least one parent with EHT. METHODS: Fifty one healthy children and young adults (28 boys) with at least one parent with hypertension and 69 (41 boys) whose parents did not have hypertension were recruited prospectively from primary care centres. High sensitivity CRP, fasting lipid profile, blood pressure (BP) and anthropometric variables were obtained for all participants. RESULTS: CRP values were higher in the study group than in controls (logCRP mean difference: -0.69; 95% confidence interval: -1.05 to -0.33), even when differences were adjusted for age, gender, body mass index (BMI) and triglyceride levels (p = 0.01). No differences were observed in BP values between groups. In the study group, 35.3% of the participants had a CRP level > or =1 mg/l compared to 14.5% in the control group (p = 0.009). CRP showed a significant correlation with body weight (rho = 0.28, p = 0.04), BMI (rho = 0.32; p = 0.02) and ponderosity index (rho = 0.28; p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: CRP is significantly higher in the offspring of parents with EHT. A significant positive relationship exists between BMI and serum CRP levels in this high risk group of children and young adults.

Maternal pregnancy vomiting and offspring salt taste sensitivity and blood pressure.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between salt taste perception and blood pressure (BP) in normotensive adolescents as modified by maternal fluid losses during the first trimester of gestation. Seventy-two healthy adolescents (42 boys) aged between 9.0-21.1 years, recruited from the population-based RICARDIN study, were included. A maternal questionnaire about the duration of pregnancy, birth weight and vomiting or diarrhoea in the first trimester of gestation was collected. The sample was categorized into: "vomiter descendents", those whose mother reported significant vomiting in the first trimester of gestation and "non-vomiter descendents" the remaining. Height, weight, and standardised BP measurement were recorded. Salt gustatory performance was assessed using a behavioral sensitivity test to determine the lower NaCl gustatory threshold, and a behavioral discrimination test, measuring the ability to distinguish among different saline solutions. Salt taste sensitivity showed a significant correlation with systolic BP (SBP) in "vomiter descendents" ( r = -0.66; P =0.003), but not in "non-vomiter descendents". Adjusted by gender, and actual height and weight, salt sensitivity performance remained significantly related to SBP. An association between descendents' SBP and maternal vomiting during gestation exists, adding a new element of evidence to the "Barker hypothesis".

Blood pressure relates to sodium taste sensitivity and discrimination in adolescents.

To investigate salt perception and discrimination and their possible association with blood pressure (BP), 72 healthy adolescents (42 boys) aged 9-21 years (mean 16.1 years) were studied. BP was measured with a standardized technique. Anthropometric measurement and conventional renal function tests were performed. Sensitivity tests to recognize the presence of salt when given simultaneously distilled/deionized water and a low sodium concentration water solution, and discrimination tests consisting of six graded samples of different saline solutions presented in randomized order were used to assess individual gustatory sensitivity. Average systolic BP values were 113.2+/-1.6 mmHg in boys and 109.6+/-1.9 mmHg in girls. Mean threshold level for salt sensitivity was 4.55+/-0.6 mmol/l. Systolic BP and salt sensitivity showed a significant correlation ( r=-0.33, P<0.01) even when adjusting for weight. Discrimination score was correlated with salt sensitivity ( r=0.27, P<0.05). There is a significant association between gustatory perception and BP in Spain adolescents, although a real cause-effect relationship has not been established.

Ingestive behavior in rat pups is modified by maternal sodium depletion / La depleción sódica materna durante la preñez modifica el comportamiento ingestivo de la descendencia

Developmental programming by maternal stress during pregnancy is found to influence behavioral development in the offspring. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of maternal sodium depletion in rats during pregnancy on the development of thirst mechanisms in the offspring. Pregnant rats underwent 3 episodes of saline depletion, induced by injecting sc 10 mg of Furosemide in saline (0.5 ml). The treatment, given on the 14th, 17th and 20th days post-conception, is thought to induce acute sodium depletion on dams. The offspring were tested for their drinking responses to Isoproterenol (500 μg/kg sc). In accordance to the known sequence of ontogenic development of drinking mechanisms, all groups of pups drunk after being stimulated with Isoproterenol at 6 days of age. The offspring from Furosemide-treated dams drank significantly less than the control group after Isoproterenol (p<0.001). Nevertheless, basal intake (water drunk after vehicle-saline only) was also significantly lower in these pups (p<0.001). In conclusion, offspring exposed to saline depletion in utero, modify their thirst responses at 6 day of age. This confirms that in utero conditions determine thirst responses in the offspring and they could provide adaptive advantages (AU)

Episodios de estrés materno acaecidos durante la fase de preñez pueden afectar al desarrollo normal del comportamiento ingestivo de la descendencia. El objetivo de este estudio es investigar el efecto de la depleción sódica durante la preñez sobre el comportamiento ingestivo de la descendencia. Ratas preñadas son sometidas a tres episodios de depleción sódica por inyección de furosemida (10 mg en salino sc) los días 14, 17 y 20 postconcepción. En la descendencia se estudió su respuesta ingestiva al Isoproterenol (500 μg/kg s.c.). Según la secuencia establecida de desarrollo de los comportamientos ingestivos, todos los grupos de animales beben en respuesta al isoproterenol a los 6 días de edad, pero descendientes de madres tratadas con furosemida bebían menos que los hijos de madres control (p<0,001). También la bebida basal (crías inyectadas con salino) se veía afectada, siendo menor en el grupo de descendientes de madres tratadas con furosemida (p<0,001). En conclusión, los descendientes expuestos a depleción sódica en el útero materno modifican su comportamiento ingestivo a los 6 días de edad. Esto confirma que las condiciones uterinas determinan las respuestas dípsicas en la descendencia y podrían proveer ventajas adaptativas (AU)