title: Effects of acute systemic 3-nitropropionic acid administration on rat activity and acoustic startle.
abstract: Spontaneous activity, acoustic startle, and prepulse inhibition (PPI) of acoustic startle were measured in male Sprague-Dawley rats 3-5 h after 0, 10, 15, or 20 mg/kg i.p. 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP), a mitochondrial toxin. Mean activity was significantly influenced by the 3-NP dose due to decreased activity for 20 mg/kg. Mean startle amplitude was not significantly affected by the 3-NP dose. Means of PPI for prepulses 6 and 12 dBA above background were smaller than means for respective 0 mg/kg doses, but the main effect of 3-NP dose did not reach statistical significance in ANOVA. The changes in measured exploratory-type activity and, possibly, in startle PPI parallel the occurrence of clinical signs exhibited at 3-5 h after 3-NP injection. Neural processing involved in these quantitative behavioral endpoints seems to be affected as energy stores are depleted and degenerative processes are beginning.
authors.affiliation: McKessonHBOC BioServices and Microwave Bioeffects Branch, US Army Medical Research Detachment, P.O. Box 35460, Brooks AFB, TX 78235-5460, USA. ronald.seaman@afrlars.brooks.af.mil
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Seaman
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009574:Nitro Compounds; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011422:Propionates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D009498:Neurotoxins; D009574:Nitro Compounds; D011422:Propionates; C015392:3-nitropropionic acid