You are here:
EFFECTS OF DEVELOPMENTAL EXPOSURE TO THE POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYL CONGENER 153 ON AUDITORY AND MOTOR FUNCTION.
Citation:
Taylor, M. M., J M. Hedge, K A. Jarema, AND K M. Crofton. EFFECTS OF DEVELOPMENTAL EXPOSURE TO THE POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYL CONGENER 153 ON AUDITORY AND MOTOR FUNCTION. Presented at Neurobehavioral Teratology Society, West Palm Beach, FL, June 25-28, 2000.
Description:
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are pervasive environmental contaminants that have been shown to detrimentally affect somatic and behavioral endpoints. In the present study, primiparous Long-Evans rats were exposed to 0, 1, 5, 20 or 60mg/kg/day PCB153 via oral gavage from Gestation Day 6 through Postnatal Day 21. Then, they were evaluated at various age intervals for circulating thyroid hormone concentrations [total serum triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxin (T4)], body weight, eye opening, survival, motor activity development, auditory startle response and auditory thresholds. A moderate reduction in serum T4 concentrations was apparent in the 20 and 60mg/kg groups on PND14 (60 and 55%) and 21 (60 and 50% respectively) while concentrations of serum T3 did not differ from controls. There was no body weight gain reduction in either the dams or the offspring. Also, in discordance with a previous study in which early eye opening occurred following PCB153 exposure, there was no alteration in this measure following PCB153. There was an age- but not dose-dependent increase in motor activity from PND7 to 14. These data suggest that PCB153 does not seem to alter sensory or motor development as determined by these endpoints which have previosly demonstarted to be sensitive to PCB exposure. This abstract does not necessarily reflect US EPA policy.