Departamento de Nutrição, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, 50670-901, Brazil.
Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, 50670-901, Brazil.
Metab Brain Dis. 2019 Apr;34(2):651-658. doi: 10.1007/s11011-018-0361-9. Epub 2018 Dec 13.
The non-caloric sweetener aspartame can be potentially harmful to the developing brain, as some studies suggest an association between aspartame intake and adverse neural effects. This study aimed to evaluate the possible effects of aspartame, with or without associated early nutritional deficiency, on behavioral parameters suggestive of anxiety and electrophysiological features of the excitability-related phenomenon known as cortical spreading depression (CSD). Newborn Wistar rats (n = 80) were suckled under favorable (L; n = 40) or unfavorable lactation conditions (L; n = 40), consisting of litters with 9 or 15 pups, respectively. In each lactation condition, animals were divided into 4 groups that received per gavage, from postnatal day 8 to 28, 75 mg/kg/d or 125 mg/kg/d aspartame (groups ASP75 and ASP125), or water (vehicle group), or no treatment (naive group). Behavioral tests (elevated plus-maze [EPM]) were performed at postnatal days 86-95 and CSD was recorded between postnatal days 96-115. Compared to the control groups, aspartame dose-dependently reduced body weight, suggesting a negative impact on animal development; aspartame also caused behavioral changes suggestive of anxiety (shorter stay in the open arms in the EPM) and decelerated CSD (lower propagation speed). Some of these parameters were more affected in L animals, suggesting an interaction among aspartame and lactation condition. We concluded that early consumption of aspartame adversely affects development of the organism (weight loss), with actions on behavioral (anxiety-like) and cerebral electrophysiological (CSD) parameters. The data suggest caution in aspartame consumption by lactating mothers and their infants.
非营养性甜味剂阿斯巴甜可能对发育中的大脑有害，因为一些研究表明阿斯巴甜的摄入与不良的神经影响之间存在关联。本研究旨在评估阿斯巴甜（无论是否与早期营养缺乏有关）对行为参数（提示焦虑）和兴奋性相关现象（皮质扩散性抑制 (CSD)）的电生理特征的可能影响。新生 Wistar 大鼠（n=80）在有利（L；n=40）或不利（L；n=40）的哺乳期中哺乳，分别由 9 或 15 只幼崽组成的窝。在每个哺乳期条件下，动物被分为 4 组，从出生后第 8 天到第 28 天，每天通过灌胃给予 75mg/kg/d 或 125mg/kg/d 的阿斯巴甜（ASP75 和 ASP125 组），或水（载体组），或不治疗（未处理组）。在出生后第 86-95 天进行行为测试（高架十字迷宫 [EPM]），并在出生后第 96-115 天记录 CSD。与对照组相比，阿斯巴甜剂量依赖性地降低体重，表明对动物发育有负面影响；阿斯巴甜还导致行为改变（EPM 中在开放臂中的停留时间缩短）和 CSD 减速（传播速度降低），提示焦虑（提示焦虑）。这些参数中的一些在 L 动物中受影响更大，提示阿斯巴甜和哺乳期条件之间存在相互作用。我们得出结论，早期食用阿斯巴甜会对机体发育（体重减轻）产生不利影响，并对行为（类焦虑）和大脑电生理（CSD）参数产生作用。数据表明哺乳期母亲及其婴儿在食用阿斯巴甜时应谨慎。
