ToxSci Advance Access originally published online on November 4, 2003
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Toxicological Sciences 77, 315-324 (2004)
Copyright © 2004 by the Society of Toxicology
NEUROTOXICOLOGY |
Motor Impairment in Rats Exposed to PCBs and Methylmercury during Early Development
,¶,¶
* Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801;
Psychology Department, Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York 13902;
Department of Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61802;
Beckman Institute, Department of Psychiatry, and College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801; and
¶ Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, 61801
Epidemiological and laboratory studies indicate that polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and methyl mercury (MeHg) may have additive or interactive adverse effects on nervous system function. Prior studies have shown that high doses of MeHg target the cerebellum and impair balance and coordination, but the effects of PCBs on cerebellar function were unknown. In addition, the combined effects of PCBs and MeHg on cerebellar function have not been studied previously. Therefore, we investigated the effects of developmental exposure to PCBs, MeHg, or PCBs + MeHg on three motor tasks that involve cerebellar functions. Female Long-Evans rats were exposed to MeHg (0.5 ppm in drinking water), PCBs (6-mg/kg/d Aroclor 1254), PCBs + MeHg, or vehicle only beginning 4 weeks prior to breeding, through pregnancy, and continuing through postnatal day (PND) 16. Starting at approximately PND 60, one male and one female from each litter were tested on three motor tasks that involve cerebellar function. PCB + MeHg–exposed rats were impaired relative to the controls on a task requiring them to traverse a rotating rod. Rats exposed to PCBs alone were also somewhat impaired relative to the controls, whereas MeHg-exposed rats were not significantly different from the controls. There were no statistically significant deficits related to PCB or MeHg exposure on a vertical rope-climbing test or a parallel bar test. Our results demonstrate that the possibility of additive neurotoxic effects of PCBs and MeHg needs to be seriously considered.
Key Words: polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); methylmercury; cerebellum; motor learning; rotating rod; rope climb; parallel bars; rats.
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