Probing the influence of paternal diet on offspring neuroanatomical development with mouse MRI
Year: 2026
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Previous studies have established that parental consumption of a diet high in fat and simple sugar (HF/HSS) leads to long-term effects on offspring brain development. However, most studies have focused on the effects of maternal diets or the combined effects of both parents’ diets. As literature suggests that fathers’ environmental factors can also impact offspring brain development, we aimed to explore the impact of isolated paternal consumption of HF/HSS diet on offspring brain structure using ex vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). HF/HSS-fed sires gained more weight during acclimation than CD sires (p < 0.001). However, offspring weights at weaning (P21) and at endpoint (P42) were not significantly affected by paternal diet. Offspring brain morphology, as assessed by MRI-based volume measurements of 185 brain structures, was not significantly affected by sire HF/HSS diet alone.While small structural changes cannot be ruled out, the results suggest that previously observed changes in offspring brain structure attributed to parental consumption of HF/HSS diet require maternal consumption.
Source: TSpace (University of Toronto)
Author: McKnight, Emma Grace Wilma
Institution: University of Toronto
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7203956235