The effect of pre- and postnatal undernutrition on axonal growth and myelination of central motor fibers. A morphometric study on rat cortico-spinal tract.

A morphometric study of the axon circumference and myelin sheath thickness in the rat corticospinal tract was undertaken to establish the effect of pre- and postnatal undernutrition and subsequent nutritional rehabilitation. Both axonal growth and myelin deposition were affected by undernutrition. Rats subjected to postnatal nutritional rehabilitation revealed a catch-up in axonal growth; whereas the process of myelination remained affected.