The impact of maternal dietary folic acid or choline deficiencies on cerebral blood flow, cardiac, aortic, and coronary function in young and middle-aged female mouse offspring following ischemic stroke

Background and Purpose Adequate maternal dietary levels of one-carbon (1C) metabolites, such as folic acid and choline, play an important role in the closure of the neural tube in utero ; however, the impact of deficiencies in 1C on offspring neurological function after birth remain undefined. Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability globally. The aim of our study was to determine the impact of maternal 1C nutritional deficiencies on cerebral and peripheral blood flow after ischemic stroke in adult female offspring. Method In this study, female mice were placed on either control (CD), folic acid (FADD), or choline (ChDD) deficient diets prior to pregnancy. Female offspring were weaned onto a CD for the duration of the study. Ischemic stroke was induced in offspring and after six weeks cerebral and peripheral blood flow velocity was measured using ultrasound imaging. Results Our data showed that 11.5-month-old female offspring from ChDD mothers had reduced blood flow in the posterior cerebral artery compared to controls. In peripheral blood flow velocity measurements, we report an aging effect. Conclusions These results emphasize the importance of maternal 1C diet in early life neuro-programming on long-term vasculature health.