title: Effect of hexachlorophene intoxication on learning in rats.
abstract: Neurotoxicity in the form of hindlimb paralysis is known to be associated with brain lesions characterized by vacuolation of the white matter following hexachlorophene (HCP) intoxication; these paralytic and histopathological effects are reversible with time after discontinuance of HCP exposure. The rates of acquiring a bar-pressing escape and avoidance behavior were measured in female rats after recovery from paralysis following daily oral dosing with HCP (25 mg/kg). Learning deficits were seen as a delay in reaching a 90% escape performance level, as an increase in the number of sessions required to reach a 50% avoidance criterion, as an increase in training time needed to transfer from escape to avoidance responding, and by an increase in the number of sessions needed to reach a maximum level of avoidance behavior over a 35-session period. Peak responding eventually reached a level comparable to controls only after prolonged periods. Brain lesions seen 2-3 months after HCP intoxiciation correlated with the lag in learning ability but not with the maximum avoidance acquisition before sacrifice. These results indicate a long-lasting behavioral deficiency following neurotoxicity which is slowly reversible.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects; D004924:Escape Reaction / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006582:Hexachlorophene / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D006582:Hexachlorophene