Abstract

VALENZUELA PERAZA, Armando et al. Effect of pre and posnatal malnutrition and the posnatal exposure to toluene vapors over open field performance in rats. Arch. Neurocien. (Mex., D.F.) [online]. 2004, vol.9, n.3, pp.125-130. ISSN 1028-5938.

The objetive of the present study was to investigate the effects of prenatal and postnatal nutrition, and the postnatal exposure of toluene vapors over open field performance in wistar rats. Material and methods: nulliparous wistar female rats were nourished by restricting food to 50% of ad libitum intake compared to that consumed by well nourished rats, three weeks before they were mated and kept on this diet during gestation, and lactation. The offspring following were malnourished by the same method until 60 days postnatally. Toluene inhalating and by the offspring was carried out at 40 to 60 days postnatally. The daily toluene dose used was 0.4 ml placed in a 3.7 L crystal chamber for 15 minutes. Six groups were constituted with 10-14 animals: three groups well nourished, were kept under controlled laboratory conditions (N), exposed to toluene vapors (NT), or as a handling control (CM); and three undernourished, were kept under controlled laboratory conditions (D), exposed to toluene vapors (DT), or as a handling control (DM). All animals were submitted to an open-field performance test during which they were filmed for 5 minutes moving in a 100 x 100 x 45 cm box. The total distance covered was estimated by reviewing the videotape. Results, the weight and distance were analyzed using Bonferroni, feces fecals U de Mann-Witney and to sprucing up with ANOVA. Conclusions, these indicated assotiation of the malnutrition and toluene inhalation exposure significantly reduced the rats body weight. In response to the exposure to a new environment, nourished groups rats, that were introduced in the inhalation chamber without solvent (NM and DM), showed greater activity in the open field than the other groups.

Keywords : toluene; malnutrition; open-field activity; wistar rats.