Combined action of uranium and stress in the rat:
Behavioral effects
M. Bellés1,2, M.L.
Albina1,2, V. Linares1,2, M. Gómez1, D.J. Sánchez1,2 and
J.L. Domingo1
1Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine,
Rovira i Virgili University, San Lorenzo 21, 43201 Reus, Spain
2Physiology Unit, School of Medicine, Rovira i Virgili University,
San Lorenzo 21, 43201 Reus, Spain
The influence of restraint stress on uranium (U)-induced behavioral effects
was assessed in adult male rats. Eight groups of animals received uranyl
acetate dihydrate (UAD) in the drinking water at doses of 0, 10, 20 and
40 mg/kg/day during 3 months. Rats in four groups were concurrently subjected
to restraint during 2 h per day throughout the study. At the end of the
period of uranium exposure, the following behavioral tests were carried
out: open field activity, passive avoidance, and the Morris water maze.
Uranium concentrations in brain were also determined. Restraint stress
did not affect significantly the uranium levels in brain of rats. However,
at 20 and 10 mg/kg/day restraint significantly affected the total distance
traveled in the open-field during the first and third periods tested respectively,
while no significant differences between groups were observed on the passive
avoidance test. In the Morris water maze test, the influence of restraint
was only significant on the latency time measured on day 3 in rats exposed
at 10 mg/kg/day. Although the results of the present study scarcely show
uranium-induced behavioral effects at the oral doses of UAD here administered,
these effects, as well as the slight influence of restraint stress noted
in some tests can not be underrated.
Paper presented
at Measuring Behavior 2005
, 5th International Conference on Methods and Techniques
in Behavioral Research, 30 August - 2 September 2005, Wageningen, The
Netherlands.
© 2005 Noldus
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