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ToxSci Advance Access published online on August 13, 2004
Toxicological Sciences, doi:10.1093/toxsci/kfh246
Toxicological Sciences © Society of Toxicology 2004; all rights reserved
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Received July 2, 2004
Accepted July 31, 2004

Neurotoxicology

Evaluation of Sensory Evoked Potentials in Long Evans Rats Gestationally Exposed to Mercury (Hg0) Vapor*¶

David W. Herr 1*, Sushmita M. Chanda 2, Jaimie E. Graff 1, Stanley S. Barone Jr.1, Robert P. Beliles 3, Daniel L. Morgan 4

1 Neurotoxicology Division, MD B105-05, NHEERL, ORD, U.S.E.P.A., Research Triangle Park, NC 27711 USA
2 Roche Palo Alto LLC, Palo Alto, CA 94304-1397 USA; Respiratory Toxicology, NIEHS, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 USA
3 NCEA, ORD, U.S.E.P.A., Washington, DC 20460 USA
4 Respiratory Toxicology, NIEHS, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 USA

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: Herr.david{at}epamail.epa.gov.


  Abstract

Mercury is known to alter neuronal function and has been shown to cross the placental barrier. These experiments were undertaken to examine if gestational exposure to mercury vapor (Hg0) would result in alterations in sensory neuronal function in adult offspring. Dams were exposed to 0 or 4 mg/m3 Hg0 for 2 h/day from gestational days 6-15. This exposure paradigm has been shown to approximate a maximal tolerated dose of Hg0 for the dams. Between postnatal days 140-168, male and female offspring (1 of each gender/dam) were examined using a battery of sensory evoked potentials. Peripheral nerve action potentials, nerve conduction velocity, somatosensory evoked responses (cortical and cerebellar), brainstem auditory evoked responses, pattern evoked potentials, and flash evoked potentials were quantified. Gestational exposure to 4 mg/m3 Hg0 did not significantly alter any of the evoked responses, although there was a suggestion of a decrease in compound nerve action potential (CNAP) amplitudes in male animals for the 3 mA stimulus condition. However, this possible change in CNAP amplitudes was not replicated in a second experiment. All evoked potentials exhibited predictable changes as the stimulus was modified. This shows conclusively that the evoked responses were under stimulus control, and that the study had sufficient statistical power to detect changes of these magnitudes. These results indicate that gestational exposure to 4 mg/m3 Hg0 did not result in changes in responses evoked from peripheral nerves, or the somatosensory, auditory, or visual modalities.

Keywords: mercury vapor; evoked potentials; sensory toxicity.

* The information in this document has been funded wholly (or in part) by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It has been subjected to review by the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory and approved for publication. Approval does not signify that the contents reflect the views of the Agency, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.

Portions of this manuscript were presented as a poster at the 38th annual meeting of the Society of Toxicology (1999, Toxicol. Sci. 48(1-Suppl.), 242).


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