title: The antagonistic effects of L-dopa and eserine on Al-induced neurobehavioral deficits in rats.
abstract: The main goals of the study were to elucidate the mechanism of Al-induced behavioral toxicity and to explore the possible link between the changes in the metabolism of monoaminergic or cholinergic transmitters and neurobehavioral effects. Three groups (12 rats in each group) were fed with aluminum chloride in drinking water (1600 mg/l) ad libitum through a 90-day exposure period. The controls were fed with distilled water. From the 60th to 90th day of treatment, two of the three Al-treated groups were administered with L-dopa (220 mg/kg.bw) and eserine (0.4 mg/kg.bw) by gavage, respectively. A two-item neurobehavioral test battery consisting of step down test and Morris water maze task was used for rats after three months treatment. In the step-down test, markedly shortened the step-down latency (SDL) and the number of step-down (NSD) were observed in the Al-treated group (P < 0.05, vs. control). On the contrary, only slight changes were found in the rats treated with aluminum combined with L-dopa or eserine (P > 0.05, vs control). In eserine and L-dopa antagonized groups, the mean escape latencies of Morris water maze approached a level close to that of the controls (P > 0.05). The results showed that the Al-induced memory and learning impairment could be reduced by L-dopa or eserine. It is suggested that the depletion of dopaminergic and cholinergic transmitters in the central nervous system might play an important role in Al-induced neurotoxicity.
authors: Department of Occupational Health, Shanghai Medical University, China.
authors: Y X
authors: YX
authors: Zheng
authors: Y X
authors: YX
authors: Liang
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015259:Dopamine Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D005260:Female; D007980:Levodopa / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity*; D010830:Physostigmine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D015259:Dopamine Agents; D009498:Neurotoxins; D007980:Levodopa; D010830:Physostigmine; D000535:Aluminum