Taurine administration during lactation modifies hippocampal CAl neurotransmission and behavioural programming in adult male mice

Taurine plays a role in neuronal development. In this study, we examined whether postnatal taurine administration influences the long-term consequences induced by mild neonatal stressors (10 min maternal deprivation plus sham injection, applied daily to neonatal mice up to 21 days). At 30 days of age stressed mice showed higher pain threshold both in the tail-flick-which measures mostly the spinal mechanisms of pain-and in the hot-plate test-which reflects mainly the supraspinal mechanisms of pain. The latter effect was prevented completely by neonatal taurine administration, while the tail-flick test was not affected, thus suggesting that spinal pain is not sensitive to taurine treatment. At 140 days of age, mice which were stressed during the neonatal period showed consistent decrease in immobility time in forced swimming test, and taurine did not influence this parameter. At the same age, the fear/anxiety axis, measured with elevated plus maze test, did not show any consistent changes. Electrophysiological experiments in brain slices obtained from adult mice showed that input-output curves in hippocampal CA1 were increased by taurine administration in lactation. Hence, neonatal administration of taurine might permanently modify the functioning of hippocampus, a brain area which is known to be crucial for learning and memory. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.