Effects of neonatal undernutrition on the lipid composition of the spinal cord in rats

Studies were made in rats of the effects of neonatal undernutrition, induced by feeding the mothers a low protein diet from partus, on the lipid composition of the spinal cord at 1, 2, and 3 weeks of age. The values obtained were compared with those previously obtained for the brain. Comparisons were also made of the rates of maturation with regard to lipids in the two organs. At the three ages tested the spinal cord was found to have greater concentrations of total lipids, cholesterol, and galactolipids in the older rats than in the younger rats. This was also true of phospholipids at 2 and 3 weeks of age. The increases in the concentrations of cholesterol and galactolipids to adult values were greater in the spinal cord than in the brain, the reverse being true of phospholipids. Undernutrition resulted in a marked deficit in galactolipids at 1 and 2 weeks of age although neither total lipids nor the two major lipid components, viz., cholesterol and phospholipids, were affected. The percentage deficit in the former was less at 3 weeks suggesting some “catch-up” phenomenon. This was associated with the appearance of deficit with regard to cholesterol and phospholipids.