Effect of undernutrition on cranial growth of the rat. An intergenerational study.

CESANI ROSSI MF., ZUCCHI M., MUÑE MC., OYHENART EE., PUCCIARELLI

Turin, Italia

Congreso; IX International Congress of Auxology.; 2000

Italian Society of Auxology

The cumulative effects of undernutrition on successive generations is under discussion and their mechanisms of action are unclear. The aim of the present study is to determine the growth pattern of the skull in three generations of undernourished rats (F1/F3). Control was fed on stock diet ad libitum and undernourished generations were fed on the 75% of the control food intake. Tele- radiologies were taken each 10 days between 20 and 100 days of postnatal age. The length, width and height of the neural and facial components were measured on each radiograph. Data were processed by the Kruskal-Wallis and Kolmogorov-Smirnov two samples tests. Results showed that intergenerational undernutrition delayed the skull growth. This effect was accumulative in successive generations. The facial component was more affected than the neural one.