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ToxSci Advance Access published online on November 4, 2003
Toxicological Sciences, doi:10.1093/toxsci/kfg252
Toxicological Sciences © Society of Toxicology 2003; all rights reserved
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Received July 30, 2003; accepted September 15, 2003
© 2003 Society of Toxicology

Neurotoxicology

Motor Impairment in Rats Exposed to PCBs and Methylmercury During Early Development

Cindy S. Roegge 1, Victor C. Wang 1, Brian E. Powers 1, Anna Y. Klintsova 2, Sherilyn Villareal 3, William T. Greenough 4, and Susan L. Schantz 5*

1 Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
2 Psychology Department, Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York 13902
3 Department of Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61802
4 Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801; Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801; Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801; College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801; Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, 61801
5 Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801; Department of Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61802; Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, 61801

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: schantz{at}uiuc.edu.


  Abstract

Epidemiological and laboratory studies indicate that PCBs and 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 PND60, 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 controls on a task requiring them to traverse a rotating rod. Rats exposed to PCBs alone were also somewhat impaired relative to controls, whereas MeHg-exposed rats were not significantly different from controls. There were no statistically significant deficits related to PCB or MeHg exposure on a vertical rope-climbing test or a parallel bars 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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