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The effects of protein malnutrition on the behavior of rats during the suckling period
Author(s) -
Hall Robert D.,
Leahy J. Patrick,
Robertson Wendy M.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
developmental psychobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1098-2302
pISSN - 0012-1630
DOI - 10.1002/dev.420120505
Subject(s) - lactation , period (music) , circadian rhythm , protein malnutrition , gestation , biology , casein , mating , endocrinology , zoology , physiology , medicine , feeding behavior , malnutrition , pregnancy , food science , genetics , physics , acoustics
Abstract Observations of 2 groups of dams and their litters were made every 3 hr around the clock on Days 1‐20 postpartum. The dams were fed either an 8% or a 25% casein diet for 5 weeks before mating and during gestation and lactation. Dams on the low protein diet spent more time in the nest actively nursing their young than did high protein dams, and they exhibited no deficits in other maternal behaviors. Five of 11 kinds of behavior developed more slowly in the undernourished pups than in the well‐nourished ones, but the developmental delays were no longer than a few days. Circadian fluctuations were apparent in all of the pups' activities during the 3rd postnatal week as well as in grooming and horizontal movement, 2 behaviors that were present earlier, by 6–10 days of age.