title: Effects of prenatal exposure to toluene on postnatal development and behavior in rats.
abstract: Development and neurobehavioral effects of prenatal exposure to toluene (CAS 108-88-3) were studied after exposing pregnant rats (Mol:WIST) to 1800 ppm of the solvent for 6 h daily on days 7-20 of gestation. Body weights of exposed offspring were lower until day 10 after parturition. Neurobehavioral evaluation of the pups revealed no effects on motor function (rotarod), activity level (open field), acoustic startle, and prepulse inhibition. Measurements of hearing function using auditory brain stem response revealed small effects in male-exposed offspring. Performance in a Morris water maze during initial learning gave some indications of impaired cognitive functions, which was confirmed during further testing, especially in reversal and new learning. Effects on cognitive functions seemed most marked in female offspring.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Working Environments, National Institute of Occupational Health, Copenhagen, Denmark. ksh@ami.dk
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Hougaard
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hass
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Lund
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Simonsen
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006128:Growth / Q000187:drug effects*; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012018:Reflex / Q000187:drug effects; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000187:drug effects; D012919:Social Behavior; D014050:Toluene / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D014050:Toluene