Study of sensory-motor and somatic development of the offspring of rats (Wistar) treated with caffeine

Elthon Gomes Fernandes da Silva; Alessandro Aires Alexandre; Gerlane Karla Bezerra Oliveira Nascimento; Jaciel Benedito de Oliveira; Elizabeth da Silveira Neves; Austregézilo Vieira da Costa Sobrinho; Maria de Fátima Galdino da Silveira

Anatomy Department, Center of Biologic Science, Federal University of Pernambuco

ABSTRACT

The influence of caffeine, administered to rats, on the somatic and sensory-motor development of the offspring was investigated. Female Wistar rats were divided into a control group and a treated group and received drinking water and a 0.1% solution of caffeine orally, respectively. The offspring, also divided into a control group and a treated group, received daily monitoring until the 20^th day of life to verify alterations in somatic neural development. The offspring of the treated group had reduced weight on the day of birth and on the 1^st, 5^th, 15^th and 20^th days of life; shorter snout-anus length (evaluation done daily); shorter snout-tail length on the day of birth and on the 1^st, 5^th and 10^th days of life, and signs of retardation of somatic and sensory-motor maturation. These results allowed the conclusion that administration of caffeine to rats affects somatic and sensory-motor development of offspring.

Uniterms: Caffeine/effects. Postnatal development. Central nervous system/stimulants.

Texto completo em: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1984-82502009000400019