The purpose of structural assessments in neurotoxicology is to provide a convincing picture of the location and extent of damage to the nervous system. Silver stains that selectively reveal neural degeneration hold particular promise in this regard. In the chapter the authors describe results obtained using a cupric silver stain to delineate areas of the brain damaged by administration of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). MDMA (0,25,50,150, mg/kg as salt) was administered to Long Evans rats 4 times, with a 12 hour interdosing interval. Both the time course and dose dependence of MDMA induced silver staining were evaluated. Silver staining was most prominent in the fronto-parietal neocortex, where the extend of staining was dose-dependent and appeared to be maximal within 18 to 48 following the last dose. The results show that maps of silver staining can demonstrate the dose- and time-dependent of nature of toxicant induced brain damage. With refinement such maps can help identify components of the brain's complex circuitry that are vulnerable to damage by exposure to toxicants.

Includes bibliographical references. Microfiche.