Posted Jan 29, 2009

Sons of obese mother mice grow up fat, anxious and with signs of brain inflammation, Staci D. Bilbo of Duke University in Durham, N.C., and colleagues reported October 18.

Comparing the offspring of female mice that ate a low-fat diet or one of two kinds of high-fat diets, researchers found that the brains of pups born to moms fed a diet high in saturated fats showed increased levels of interleukin-1, a marker of inflammation. Previous work showed that high levels of IL-I impair learning and memory.

But to Bilbo’s surprise, the affected offspring didn’t have obvious problems when tested in a water maze. Males born to moms on the diet high in saturated fats were also fatter and more anxious than other pups. The male mice’s obesity persisted into adulthood even though they were switched to low-fat diets when weaned. Bilbo is analyzing data to find out how many generations might pay the price for mom’s overindulgence.

Date: dec 20, 2009

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