In vivo Evidence of Mice Hippocampal Alterations Resulting from High Dose Caffeine Exposure during Intrauterine Life

Abstract

Caffeine ingestion during pregnancy requires attention and investigation towards assessing the level of safety and possible effects on the brain and mental health. Caffeine ingestion during pregnancy has been discouraged despite concerns about lack of adequate facts to support this presumption and that such position is being taken based on speculations or inadequate facts. To this end, this research investigated the effects of caffeine exposure on hippocampus at various dosages during intrauterine life. Eighteen pregnant mice were divided into three groups A-C. Group A were fed ad libitum on mice feed pellets throughout the experimental duration to serve as control. Group B were administered the lower dosage [50 mg/kg body weight] of caffeine while Group C were administered high dosage [120 mg/kg body weights] of caffeine during intrauterine life by oral gavage. Brain tissues of the animals were excised after being sacrificed by cervical dislocation at Day 12 of postnatal life. The tissues were processed using the Haematoxylin and Eosin staining technique and the results were subject to histomorphological analysis. Caffeine at the high dosage substantially compromised hippocampal formation and dentate gyrus structural integrity; particularly by limiting cellular differentiation and elaboration of the cells.  The differentiation of neurons into the typical pyramidal cells of the hippocampus was largely limited.