Effect of Longtime Selenium-Deficient Feeding on the Neurobehavioral Development of the Fourth Generation Rats in Lactation

The study investigated the impact of long-term selenium-deficient and selenium- and iodine-deficient diets on the growth and neurobehavioral development of fourth-generation rats. The research involved four groups of weaning SD rats: a control group, a selenium-deficient group (Se-group), an iodine-deficient group (I-group), and a selenium- and iodine-deficient group (Se-plus I-group). The results showed significant differences between the deficient groups and the control group in terms of abortion rates, physical development milestones (such as ear detachment, incisor eruption, eye opening, and hair growth), reflex acquisition (righting reflex and negative geotaxis), sensory function (auditory startle), and neuromuscular development (forelimb hanging and walk test). The conclusion was that selenium and iodine deficiencies led to delayed growth and abnormal neural behavior in the fourth-generation rats.