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Abstract
Alterations in the sucking activity of neonatally undernourished Wistar strain pups were observed by using a surrogate nipple procedure. Rats, neonatally underfed by daily (12h) mother-litter separation in an incubator from days 1–16 postpartum, showed a significant reduction in the mean number of sucking bouts within a 10min span, in the number of sucks per bout, prolonged significant time intervals between bouts and reduced mean duration of bouts when compared to controls. Moreover, the sucking bouts of neonatally underfed male and female pups were shorter and of poor efficiency compared to controls as far as body weight gain after each sucking test showed. These results suggest that perinatal undernutrition may affect both brain and muscle mandibular mechanisms to modulate sucking activity in the newborn.