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ToxSci Advance Access published online on March 23, 2005
Toxicological Sciences, doi:10.1093/toxsci/kfi153
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Toxicological Sciences © The Author 2005. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Toxicology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oupjournals.org
Received October 22, 2004
Accepted March 18, 2005

Neurotoxicology

The Effects of Early Lead Exposure on the Brains of Adult Rhesus Monkeys: A Volumetric MRI Study

Robert E. Lasky 1*, Melissa L. Luck 2, Nehal A. Parikh 3, and Nellie K. Laughlin 2

1 Center for Clinical Research and Evidence Based Medicine, The University of Texas-Houston Medical School, 6431 Fannin Street, MSB 2.104, Houston, TX 77030, 713 500 5770, 713 500 0519 fax
2 Harlow Center for Biological Psychology, 22 North Charter Street, Madison, WI 53715
3 The University of Texas-Houston Medical School, Department of Pediatrics, 6431 Fannin, Houston, TX 77030

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Robert E. Lasky, E-mail: Robert.E.Lasky{at}uth.tmc.edu


  Abstract

Little is known about direct effects of exposure to lead on central nervous system development. We conducted volumetric MRI studies in three groups of 17 year old rhesus monkeys: 1) a group exposed to lead throughout gestation (n=3), 2) a group exposed to lead through breast milk from birth to weaning (n=4), and 3) a group not exposed to lead (n=8). All fifteen monkeys were treated essentially identically since birth with the exception of lead exposure. The 3-dimentional MRI images were segmented on a computer workstation using pre-tested manual and semi-automated algorithms to generate brain volumes for white matter, gray matter, cerebrospinal fluid, and component brain structures. The three groups differed significantly in the adjusted (for total brain size) volumes of the right cerebral white matter and the lateral ventricles. A significant reduction was noted in right cerebral white matter in prenatally exposed monkeys as compared to controls (p=0.045). A similar reduction was detected in the white matter of the contralateral hemisphere, however this difference did not achieve statistical significance (p=0.143). Prenatally exposed monkeys also had larger right (p=0.027) and left (p=0.040) lateral ventricles. Depending on the timing of exposure during development, lead may exhibit differential effects with resultant life-long alterations in brain architecture.

Keywords: Lead; rhesus monkey; segmentation; volumetric MRI.
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