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Effects of maternal inhalation of gasoline evaporative condensates on sensory function in rat offspring
Citation:
Degn, L., D. Lyke, T. Beasley, P. Evansky, S. Martin, W. Boyes, P. Bushnell, AND D. Herr. Effects of maternal inhalation of gasoline evaporative condensates on sensory function in rat offspring. Presented at Society of Toxicology Meeting, San Antonio, TX, March 10 - 14, 2013.
Impact/Purpose:
This abstract will be presented at the Society of Toxicology meeting, March 10-14, 2013, in San Antonio, Texas
Description:
In order to assess potential health effects resulting from exposure to ethanol-gasoline blend vapors, we previously conducted neurophysiological assessment of sensory function following gestational exposure to 100% ethanol vapor (Herr et al., Toxicologist, 2012). For comparison purposes, the current study investigated the same measures after gestational exposure to 100% gasoline evaporative condensates (GVC). Pregnant Long-Evans rats were exposed to 0, 3K, 6K, or 9K ppm GVC vapors for 6.5 h/day over GD9 – GD20. Sensory evaluations of male offspring began around PND106. Peripheral nerve function (compound action potentials, NCV), somatosensory (cortical and cerebellar evoked potentials), auditory (brainstem auditory evoked responses), and visual evoked responses were assessed. Visual function assessment included pattern elicited visual evoked potentials (VEP), VEP contrast sensitivity, and electroretinograms (ERG) recorded from dark-adapted (scotopic) and light-adapted (photopic) flashes, and UV and green flicker. Although some minor statistical differences were indicated for auditory and somatosensory responses, these changes were not consistently dose- or stimulus intensity-related. Scotopic ERGs had a statistically significant dose-related decrease in the b-wave implicit time. All other parameters of ERGs and VEPs were unaffected by treatment. All physiological responses showed changes related to stimulus intensity, and provided an estimate of detectable levels of change. The results show that gestational exposure to GVC vapors did not result in large decrements in peripheral nerve, somatosensory, auditory, or visual function when the offspring were assessed as adults. However, the alterations in ERG b-waves may indicate subtle changes in retinal function. Additional studies are in progress to evaluate the effects of exposure to the evaporative condensate vapors from a blend of ethanol (15%) and gasoline (85%). This is an abstract of a proposed presentation and does not necessarily reflect EPA policy.