Mastication stimuli enhance the learning ability of weaning-stage rats, altering the hippocampal neuron transcriptome and micromorphology.

ABSTRACT: Mastication stimuli are known to relieve senile dementia in human and animal studies. However, few studies have focused on its effect on weaning-stage animals and the underlying molecular processes. In this study, 3-week-old male rats were raised on a powdered (P-group) or chow (C-group) diet for 8 days, and their behavior was examined using the Y-maze and novel object recognition tests. In the Y-maze test, the C-group rats showed a larger alternation ratio than the P-group rats. In the novel object recognition test, the C-group rats exhibited a significantly larger discrimination index for novel objects than for familiar objects, but the P-group rats did not. We then compared the hippocampal neuron morphology and transcriptome between the groups. C-group rats exhibited larger dendrite bra

SUBMITTER: Yasuoka A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9574334 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature