Background: Preterm birth is associated with impaired brain functions, but it is unknown whether fetal growth restriction (GR) makes these deficits worse. Using piglets as a model for preterm infants, we hypothesized that moderate GR reduces growth rate, physical activity, and spatial memory in the first weeks after preterm birth. Methods: Preterm pigs were delivered by caesarean section and fed until 19 days (n = 830 from 55 pregnant sows) and received intensive clinical care. GR pigs were classified as animals with the lowest 5–20% percentile birth weight within each litter and were compared with litter-mate controls (21–100% percentile birth weight). Basic motor skill development, physical activity, and morbidities (e.g., necrotizing enterocolitis) were recorded within the first week. Weight of internal organs and data from a T-maze spatial memory test were noted until 19 days. Results: Moderate GR and control preterm pigs (birth weights 728 ± 140 and 1,019 ± 204 g, respectively) showed similar relative weights of internal organs (relative to body), except higher adrenal gland weights in GR pigs (+20–50%, p #x3c; 0.05). This was associated with a tendency to higher plasma cortisol (p #x3c; 0.05 on day 11). GR preterm pigs showed delayed ability to stand and walk (days 2–5, p #x3c; 0.01), but physical activity and proportion of correct choices in a T-maze test (70.3 vs. 71.6%) were similar. Conclusion: Moderate GR has limited effect on motor function and spatial memory in the early postnatal period of preterm pigs, despite some initial delays in basic motor skills. In the postnatal period, moderately growth-restricted preterm infants may adapt well with regards to organ growth and neurodevelopment.
Dev Neurosci 2019;41:247–254

中文翻译：

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早产仔猪的体力活动和空间记忆受适度生长限制的影响最小。


背景：早产与大脑功能受损有关，但尚不清楚胎儿生长受限（GR）是否会使这些缺陷变得更严重。使用仔猪作为早产儿模型，我们假设适度的 GR 会降低早产后最初几周的生长速度、体力活动和空间记忆。方法：早产猪通过剖腹产分娩并饲养至 19 天（ n = 830 头，来自 55 头怀孕母猪），并接受重症临床护理。 GR 猪被分类为每窝中出生体重百分位最低的 5-20% 的动物，并与同窝对照猪（出生体重百分位 21-100%）进行比较。第一周内记录基本运动技能发展、体力活动和发病情况（例如坏死性小肠结肠炎）。直到 19 天为止，记录内脏器官的重量和 T 迷宫空间记忆测试的数据。结果：中度 GR 和对照早产猪（出生体重分别为 728 ± 140 和 1,019 ± 204 g）显示出相似的内脏相对重量（相对于身体），但 GR 猪的肾上腺重量较高（+20-50%， p #x3c；0.05)。这与血浆皮质醇升高的趋势相关（ p #x3c；第11天为0.05）。 GR 早产猪表现出站立和行走能力延迟（第 2-5 天， p #x3c；0.01），但体力活动和 T 迷宫测试中正确选择的比例（70.3% vs. 71.6%）相似。结论：尽管基本运动技能最初出现一些延迟，但适度的 GR 对早产猪产后早期的运动功能和空间记忆的影响有限。 在产后，中度生长受限的早产儿可能在器官生长和神经发育方面适应良好。

开发神经科学 2019；41：247–254