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Media Room: Press Releases
Nov 17th, 2009 INSULIN STATUS OF MARES DURING GESTATION: INFLUENCE ON THE NEONATE
Insulin resistance has been recently recognized as a component of the aetiology of a number of equine disorders including equine metabolic syndrome, laminitis and osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD).The latter condition results in significant wastage and is generally believed to be more common in large, rapidly growing yearlings with nutrition being cited as a major contributing factor to the incidence of the condition. Feeding diets high in soluable carbohydrates to growing horses, suggest a link between glucose intolerance due to insulin resistance and OCD. The majority of studies conducted to investigate nutritional causes of OCD have focused from weaning (approximately six months of age) onwards. However, several studies have identified the highest incidence of OCD and other skeletal disorders to be at a younger age than this. These studies suggest that while nutritional strategies during the growing period may reduce the incidence of OCD, the causative factor is likely to exist prior to this time, either during lactation, or gestation. Data from other species, especially humans have provided evidence that nutrition of the dam and stress on the dam during gestation and lactation may manifest in endocrine responses that alter neonatal physiology of the offspring. The concept foetal of programming proposes that nutrition during gestation activates different genes in the foetus, essentially preparing the offspring’s endocrine and metabolic systems for an appropriate response to expected energy intake. Studies in humans and rodents suggest that the intrauterine environment is an important determinant of the development of insulin resistance of the neonate and that its effect is in addition to effects of genetic factors. The relationship between decreased maternal insulin sensitivity and foetal development in obese women and women with gestational diabetes appears to explain the increased incidence of adolescent obesity and related glucose intolerance in the children of these women. Similar relationships may exist between mares and foals but has not been investigated. As insulin plays a role in chondrocyte maturation, exacerbations of this hormone as a result of chronic hyperinsulinaemia during pregnancy may be manifested by OCD lesions or predisposition to the condition in the neonate. The influence of insulin status in mares and its effect on the development of their offspring is unknown and this study explores this relationship by investigating a) the insulin status in a large population of broodmares and their subsequent foals and its relationship with the incidence of OCD and b) the influence of differing maternal dietary regimens on insulin sensitivity and OCD. Tiffany Dobbs PhD SAS CONFIRMATION SEMINAR TIME & DATE: 10:30, Thursday 19 November 2009 VENUE: Animal Studies Lecture Theatre (8150-153) , Univeristy of Queensland Australia
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