The abstract is read at the publisher; the summary is JClub's.
Guideline-level prenatal and lactational sodium nitrate exposure in Wistar rats advances offspring sensorimotor development and, at 100 mg/L, increases corticosterone and female kidney weight.
- Why it matters: Human evidence on neurodevelopmental effects of moderate early-life nitrate from drinking water is limited, and mechanisms linking nitrate to physiology and behavior remain unclear.
- What they did: Wistar rats received 0, 50, or 100 mg/L NO3− in drinking water (n=6–7/group) from three weeks pre-conception through gestation and lactation, then offspring were tested at 7–14 days and at weaning.
- The result: At 7–14 days, nitrate-exposed offspring showed advanced negative geotaxis; at weaning, maternal plasma nitrate and nitrite rose, offspring plasma nitrate rose modestly, corticosterone and female kidney weight increased in the 100 mg/L group, and later-life anxiety/memory tests were unchanged while males at 100 mg/L had reduced locomotor activity.
The findingWhy it mattersWhat they didThe result
AI summary of the abstract · may contain errors · not medical advice · read the paper.