Effects of postnatal dietary choline supplementation on motor regional brain volume and growth factor expression in a mouse model of Rett syndrome

Abstract

Nutritional status during pregnancy and lactation can influence behavioral and anatomical characteristics of several neurological disorders in the offspring, including Rett syndrome (RTT). RTT is associated with mutations in the X-linked gene encoding methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCp2), a transcriptional repressor that binds methylated DNA. In Mecp21lox mice, a model of RTT, enhancing maternal nutrition through choline supplementation attenuates motor coordination deficits in the mutant offspring. Here, we examine alterations in brain volume and growth factor expression in the cerebellum and striatum, motor regions that may contribute to the improved behavioral performance seen with cholin..