[Protection of zinc and selenium content of brain and blood on learning and memory exposed to lead in growing rats].
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this paper was to explore the relations between lead levels of brain and blood on learning and memory, and to determine the antagonization of selenium and zinc on lead toxicity in brain and blood.


METHODS
The growing rats were fed with diet added with different levels of selenium, zinc and lead for 12 weeks.


RESULTS
(1) The lead levels of brain and blood of rats exposed to lead was higher than that of the control group; the lead levels of brain and blood administrated lead decreased following the increased in selenium and zinc levels in the diet. (2) Error frequencies and total time in water-maze significantly reduced in the groups exposed to lead. (3) Error frequencies and total time in water-maze and lead levels of brain and blood presented positive relation.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study indicated that supplementary suitable zinc or/and selenium could alleviate the lead toxicity on the brain and blood of rats.
Lai
Jianqiang
J
Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100050, China.
Yin
Shi'an
S
Xu
Qingmei
Q
Hu
Shanming
S
D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity*; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012643:Selenium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015032:Zinc / Q000494:pharmacology*
D007854:Lead; D012643:Selenium; D015032:Zinc