The link between maternal obesity and offspring neurobehavior: A systematic review of animal experiments. (March 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Menting, Malou D.; van de Beek, Cornelieke; Mintjens, Stijn; Wever, Kimberley E.; Korosi, Aniko; Ozanne, Susan E.; Limpens, Jacqueline; Roseboom, Tessa J.; Hooijmans, Carlijn; Painter, Rebecca C.
• Is Part Of: Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews. Volume 98(2019)
• Page Start: 107
• Page End: 121
• Publication Date: 2019-03
• Subjects: Obesity -- Pregnancy -- Neurobehavior -- Offspring -- Animal experiments -- Systematic review; Psychophysiology -- Periodicals; Human behavior -- Periodicals; Animal behavior -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Behavior -- Periodicals; Ethology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Psychophysiologie -- Périodiques; Comportement humain -- Périodiques; Animaux -- Mœurs et comportement -- Périodiques; Neurologie -- Périodiques; Animal behavior; Human behavior; Neurology; Psychophysiology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 573.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.12.023
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0149-7634

Abstract

Highlights: Maternal (pre-)pregnancy obesity is linked to increased locomotor activity and anxiety in animal offspring. Maternal (pre-)pregnancy obesity is not linked to memory abilities in animal offspring. These systematic review findings support results of human observational studies. Abstract: Maternal obesity in pregnancy is associated with neurobehavioral problems in the offspring. Establishing causality has been challenging in existing human studies, due to confounding by genetic and postnatal environment. Animal experiments can improve our understanding of this association. This systematic review examined the effects of maternal obesity in pregnancy on offspring neurobehavior in animal models. We included 26 studies (1047 offspring animals). Meta-analyses showed that offspring of obese mothers displayed higher levels of locomotor activity (standardized mean difference (SMD) 0.34 [0.10; 0.58]) and anxiety behavior (SMD 0.47 [0.16; 0.79]) than offspring of lean mothers, but similar memory abilities (SMD −0.06 [−0.52; 0.39]). Meta-analysis of learning abilities was not sensible due to heterogeneity. Although the evidence was heterogeneous and the quality of the included studies generally unclear, this systematic review of animal studies indicates an effect of maternal obesity on increased offspring locomotor activity and anxiety, but not on offspring memory performance. These findings may be important from a public health perspective since obesity is rapidly increasing worldwide, and warrant further research.