Effect of feeding lysine and threonine fortified bread during gestation and lactation on growth of the brain in rats.

First and second litter offspring brain development was studied following the feeding of bread, bread plus lysine, or bread plus lysine and threonine to rats during pregnancy and lactation. Results were compared with offspring brain growth following maternal consumption of a stock diet, 13% casein or 26% casein diet. Brain weight, protein and cellularity progressively increased as lysine and lysine plus threonine were added to the maternal bread diets. The bread plus lysine and threonine diet resulted in similar or higher total weight, protein and DNA values for all brain areas in comparison with results from the stock diet or 13% casein diet. The 26% casein diet resulted in greater brain weight, protein and DNA values in comparison to the bread, bread plus lysine, 13% casein, or stock diets. First litter pups whose mothers were fed the 26% casein diet, in comparison to the bread plus lysine and threonine diet, had higher or similar brain weight and DNA levels. For second litter pups, all values were similar for both diets with the exceptions of lower brain stem weight for 26% casein and lower cerebellum DNA for bread plus lysine and threonine.