The long-term impact of prenatal methylmercury (MeHg) exposure on the stress response during active learning was investigated. Pregnant rats were gavage fed MeHg (8 mg/kg) on gestational day 15. Ninety-day-old rats born to both MeHg- and saline-treated dams were subjected to an active avoidance test. The active avoidance-experienced rats (AAERs) with prenatal exposure to MeHg showed significant impairment in learning ability and exhibited higher levels of corticosterone than the untreated AAERs. The present findings suggest that the abnormal increase in plasma corticosterone levels could contribute to the poor performance of MeHg-treated AAERs in this learning task.
Prenatal Methylmercury Exposure: Effects on Stress Response During Active Learning / Maria Rosaria, Carratu; Addolorata, Coluccia; Antonella M. E., Modafferi; Pietro, Borracci; Scaccianoce, Sergio; Mineshi, Sakamoto; Cuomo, Vincenzo. - In: BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY. - ISSN 0007-4861. - STAMPA. - 81:6(2008), pp. 539-542. [10.1007/s00128-008-9557-8]
Prenatal Methylmercury Exposure: Effects on Stress Response During Active Learning
SCACCIANOCE, Sergio;CUOMO, VINCENZO
2008
Abstract
The long-term impact of prenatal methylmercury (MeHg) exposure on the stress response during active learning was investigated. Pregnant rats were gavage fed MeHg (8 mg/kg) on gestational day 15. Ninety-day-old rats born to both MeHg- and saline-treated dams were subjected to an active avoidance test. The active avoidance-experienced rats (AAERs) with prenatal exposure to MeHg showed significant impairment in learning ability and exhibited higher levels of corticosterone than the untreated AAERs. The present findings suggest that the abnormal increase in plasma corticosterone levels could contribute to the poor performance of MeHg-treated AAERs in this learning task.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
