Effect of Protein Malnutrition on Efferent Projections of Amygdala to the Hippocampus

Previous investigations have shown that protein malnutrition can alters the structure and function of some areas of hippocampal formation. We investigated the effect of protein malnutrition on amygdaloid projections to the CA1 hippocampal area. In this study we investigated level and pattern of distribution of efferent projections from amygdala to hippocampus in the rat by Horseradish Peroxidas (HRP) neural tract tracing in 2 groups; Control group fed with regular diet (% 18 proteins)and case group fed with low protein diet (%8). We used SPSS 11.0 (T test & mann-withney) Software for data analysis. Following injection of HRP to CA1 region of hippocampus in the control group Rats, Labelled neurons showed more density in the Basolateral, Cortical and Medial nuclear Groups. Having done the analysis and examining the relations between the case data and those of the control groups, we found that number of labelled neurons in the Basolateral, Cortical & medial nuclei were decreased in the case group(p<0.05). Our findings showed that different nuclei of amygdala (Basolateral, Cortical and Medial) send projections to CA1 region of hippocampus; Among, them basolateral nuclei group send the most projections. This results may be caused by decrease of activity of neural cells after protein malnutrition, that can results in impairment in growth and development of nervous system. Also it is possible that axoplasmic transfer rate maybe decreased in this condition.