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Effects of Ethanol-Gasoline Blended Fuels on Learning and Memory
Citation:
Beasley, T., W. Oshiro, V. C. Moser, M. Gilbert, Kathy Mcdaniel, P. Evansky, AND P. Bushnell. Effects of Ethanol-Gasoline Blended Fuels on Learning and Memory. Presented at Society of Toxicology Meeting, Phoenix, AZ, March 23 - 27, 2014.
Impact/Purpose:
This abstract will be presented at the Society of Toxicology (SOT) Meeting, March 23-27, 2014, Phoenix, AZ
Description:
The potential toxicity of ethanol-gasoline blended fuels to the developing nervous system is of concern. We previously reported an absence of effect on learning and memory as seen in a trace fear conditioning task and water maze task in offspring of dams exposed prenatally to the vapors of ethanol. However, a high number of anticipatory responses were noted in male offspring that completed a choice reaction time task (CRT). In order to further explore this apparent impairment of response inhibition, we evaluated effects of vapors from a blend of 15% ethanol/gasoline (E15) and 85% ethanol/gasoline using a Differential Reinforcement of Low-rate Response task (DRL). We also evaluated the effects of E15 and E85 on the trace fear conditioning task and water maze task. Pregnant Long-Evans rats were exposed to 0, 3000, 6000, or 9000 ppm El5 or E85 vapors for 6.5 h/day from GD9 to GD2O. Male and female offspring(n=10/sex/group/vapor) were trained on the Morris water maze starting on postnatal day (PND) 76. Overall, acquisition of the task and working memory were not affected by E15 or E85. A second set of male and female offspring(n=16/sex/group/vapor)was assessed using a fear conditioning task. There-were no differences among dose groups in either cue or context learning. Finally, a third group of male and female offspring (n=8/sex/group/vapor) was assessed using a DRL task Overall, the results identified no significant dose-related impairments after exposureto E15 or E85, although there was a tendaicy for inhibitory control impairment in the 9000 El5 male offspring. These results suggest prenatal exposure to ethanol-gasoline blended fuels produce few if any effects on learning and memory. This abstract does not reflect EPA policy.