EFFECT OF DIETARY CHOLESTEROL ON BRAIN CHOLESTEROL IN DEVELOPING RATS

Abstract

Cholesterol is a significant component of brain and is found in both neuronal membranes and myelin. All mammalian milks provide cholesterol during periods of maximal brain growth and myelination. However, infant formulas contain only traces of cholesterol. The purpose of this study is to determine if dietary cholesterol alters rat brain composition during development. Pregnant Long-Evans rats were randomly assigned (12/group) to a semi-synthetic diet with or without cholesterol. On postnatal day 1(P1), litters were culled to eight and weaned on P17. Litters received the same concentration of cholesterol as their dam from P17 to P32. On P32, pups were sacrificed. The left brain cortices were analyzed for cholesterol and protein concentration. Developing rats exposed to the cholesterol diet had an increase in left brain cortex size (p=0.003), cholesterol (p=0.006) and protein concentration (p=0.0005). Exposure to exogenous cholesterol increased brain cholesterol and protein concentration in developing rats.