Protein malnutrition and brain development

Abstract

Malnutrition is one of the major factors affecting brain development. In particular, protein malnutrition can result in abnormal development with behavioral consequences. Protein malnutrition reduces brain size, dendritic arborization and cell maturation. In addition, perinatal low protein diet produces changes on neurotransmitters and oxidative status of the brain. As a consequence, failure in normal development produces social and behavioral disabilities that persist during the adult life. The duration and point of onset of dietary restriction is important to comprehend the detrimental effects of low protein diet on brain function. Although during last decades a lot of effort has been done to understand the long lasting effects of perinatal malnutrition, several questions are still unsolved. The present review is focused on neuroanatomical, neurochemical and functional changes observed in rodent models of perinatal malnutrition as well as the future directions of the field.