[Visual evoked potentials (FVEP) after the prenatal exposure to heavy metals--experimentals studies].
OBJECTIVE
To find out, if any and how deep alterations in visual tract are due to prenatal intoxication by heavy metals such as: cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg) and manganese (Mn). The measure of these alterations were the changes in flash visual evoked potentials after prenatal intoxication.


METHODS
The experiments were carried out on 55 white newborns Wistar rats, which were divided into 5 groups: control group (14 rats), Cd group (12), Pb (6), Hg (14) and Mn (9). The method of the FVEP study was described by Pojda et al.


RESULTS
The latencies of the peaks N1 and P1 were prolonged in the Mn group till 113-118% (p< 0.05). Slight prolongation of N1 latencies about 1% in Cd and Hg groups and of 4% in Pb group were not statistically significant. The differences of P1 latencies were not statistically significant in these groups, compared to the control group. The amplitude of N1 wave decreased in Cd group about 63% and in Mn group of 32% compared to the control (p<0.05). In Hg intoxicated group the N1 amplitude decreased to 56% (p< 0.01). The amplitude of P1 decreased in all intoxicated groups (Hg of 56%, Cd 55%, Mn 49%) statistically significant, except the Pb one, in which even 21% decrease was not significant.


CONCLUSIONS
The heavy metals prolonged the latencies and diminished the amplitudes of flash visual evoked potentials, so may be, they are not only neurotoxic but also "ophthalmotoxic" factors.
Herba
Ewa
E
Z Katedry i Oddziału Klinicznego Okulistyki Slaskiej Akademii Medycznej w Katowicach Szpital Specjalistyczny nr 1 w Bytomiu.
Pojda-Wilczek
Dorota
D
Pojda
Stefan M
SM
Plech
Agata R
AR
Makowiecka-Obidzińska
Katarzyna
K
Plech
Andrzej
A
Szkilnik
Ryszard
R
Brus
Ryszard
R
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium / Q000633:toxicity; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D007854:Lead / Q000633:toxicity; D008297:Male; D008345:Manganese / Q000633:toxicity; D008628:Mercury / Q000633:toxicity; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000633:toxicity*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects
D019216:Metals, Heavy; D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead; D008345:Manganese; D008628:Mercury