Effects of undernutrition on glutamatergic parameters in the cerebral cortex of young rats.

Perinatal undernutrition impairs maturational events in the development of the brain, resulting in a variety of brain dysfunctions, which affect cognitive functions. This study investigated the effects of pre- and post-natal undernutrition (diet: 8% protein; control group: 25% protein) on some glutamatergic and behavioral parameters of 21-day-old rats. In the cerebral cortex, undernutrition reduced the Na-independent [(3)H]Glutamate binding in cellular membranes and [(3)H]Glutamate vesicular uptake, without affecting the [(3)H]Glutamate uptake by slices preparation. Behavioral parameters were affected, showing a strong amnesic effect both in the short- and long-term memory of inhibitory avoidance tasks, and a significant reduction in the number of crossings in an open field. The effects of perinatal undernutrition in 21-day-old rats, which alter some glutamatergic parameters may be related to the impairment of memory in certain behavioral tasks.

Effect of 2-deoxy-D-glucose on aminoacids metabolism in rats' cerebral cortex slices.

We studied the effect of different concentrations of 2-deoxy-D-glucose on the L-[U-14C]leucine, L-[1-14C]leucine and [1-14C]glycine metabolism in slices of cerebral cortex of 10-day-old rats. 2-deoxy-D-glucose since 0.5 mM concentration has inhibited significantly the protein synthesis from L-[U-14C]leucine and from [1-14C]glycine in relation to the medium containing only Krebs Ringer bicarbonate. Potassium 8.0 mM in incubation medium did not stimulate the protein synthesis compared to the medium containing 2.7 mM, and at 50 mM diminishes more than 2.5 times the protein synthesis compared to the other concentration. Only at the concentration of 5.0 mM, 2-deoxy-D-glucose inhibited the CO2 production and lipid synthesis from L-[U-14C] leucine. This compound did not inhibit either CO2 production, or lipid synthesis from [1-14C]glycine. Lactate at 10 mM and glucose 5.0 mM did not revert the inhibitory effect of 2-deoxy-D-glucose on the protein synthesis from L-[U-14C]leucine. 2-deoxy-D-glucose at 2.0 mM did not show any effect either on CO2 production, or on lipid synthesis from L-[U-14C]lactate 10 mM and glucose 5.0 mM.