Behavioral toxicity of anticholinesterases in primates: effects of daily repeated soman exposure.
The effects of repeated daily exposure to soman, an organophosphate nerve agent, on the performance of a well-learned, compensatory tracking task were tested in rhesus monkeys. The ED50 daily exposure required to produce a performance decrement on or before the fifth daily exposure (0.97 microgram/kg) was about 40% of the acute dose required to produce a similar performance decrement. After repeated, low-dose exposures, performance decrements appeared when serum cholinesterase (ChE) activity was inhibited 85-90%. Acute exposures that produced similar performance effects were associated with lower levels of ChE inhibition (65-70%), suggesting that repeated daily exposure may lead to the development of a tolerance (physiological or behavioral) to low levels of ChE activity.
Blick
D W
DW
Systems Research Laboratories Division of Arvin/Calspan, Dayton, OH 45440.
Weathersby
F R
FR
Brown
G C
GC
Murphy
M R
MR
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D002802:Cholinesterases / Q000097:blood; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008297:Male; D010830:Physostigmine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000187:drug effects; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects; D011729:Pyridostigmine Bromide / Q000494:pharmacology; D012999:Soman / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*
D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D012999:Soman; D010830:Physostigmine; D002802:Cholinesterases; D011729:Pyridostigmine Bromide