Dosage parameters of a behavioral deficit associated with phenylketonuria in rats.

Abstract

From weaning, 206 hooded rats were fed a diet supplemented with either 3%, 5%, or 7% L-phenylalanine and tested in a multiple-unit water T maze after 10, 25, 40, 55, or 70 days'' duration of the diet. Independent groups of Ss [subjects] were used for each of the dose-duration conditions. Compared to pair-fed littermate controls, all experimental Ss displayed a reliable performance deficit in the water maze. Magnitude of the deficit was directly related to dose of phenylalanine, irrespective of the duration on diet or sex of S.