426: Adolescent cognitive and anxiety behavior in offspring following in utero exposure to increased trans unsaturated fatty acids through maternal diet

The developing brain is potentially susceptible to inflammatory diets, such as trans unsaturated fatty acids (TFA). Fisher 344 virgin rats were randomized to isocaloric experimental (TFA) or study (AIN93) diets for 4 weeks, mated, and then maintained on their study diets until weaning. On postnatal day 23 (P23) offspring were further randomized into 1 of 4 prenatal/postnatal dietary arms (N = 16 litters): TFA/TFA, TFA/AIN, AIN/AIN, and AIN/TFA. Adolescent male and female rats (P36-38) underwent anxiety assessment using the elevated plus maze paradigm. Decreased % time and entry into open arms indicate increased anxiety. Adolescent male rats (P40-45) underwent cognitive behavioral performance testing using the water radial arm maze (WRAM) over 12 consecutive days. Spatial working and reference memory errors were averaged across litters during learning (days 1-3) and asymptotic phases (days 4-7, 6-9, and 10-12). Group comparisons were performed using 2-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures. Equality of variance was assessed by the F-test. Two-tailed p values .05 for all F-tests). Prenatal and postnatal dietary exposure of TFA did not demonstrate a major impact on either anxiety or hippocampal-dependent cognitive behavior, which may be explained by a true absence of effect or variance in the sample set (Type II error).