Adult offspring long-term effects of high salt and water intake during pregnancy

Offspring from darns subjected to hypereninemia, hyperdipsia, and natriophilia by partial aortic ligation (PAL) showed a long-term modification of their ingestive behavior. These rats, upon reaching adulthood, showed an increased appetite for low-concentration saline solutions (0.1 M) when compared to control rats. They also presented a high intake of a medium concentration NaCl solution (0.45 M) after having been offered a very aversive highly concentrated NaCl solution (1.0 M) along with water for 2 days. An increase was also observed in their salt/water intake ratio following two different thirst challenges, 24-h fluid deprivation or sodium depletion by furosemide treatment. The demonstration of the longterm effect of pregnancy history on salt preference in adult offspring draws attention to the possible physiopathological aspects that may be of relevance, considering the well-established relationship between salt intake and hypertension, a disease most commonly occurring in the adult and aged population. (C) 2000 Academic Press.