title: Behavioral effects induced by subchronic exposure to Pb and their reversion are concentration and gender dependent.
abstract: Lead (Pb) seems to be involved in the etiology of psychological pathologies. This study investigated the effects of subchronic Pb exposure from weaning to adulthood on anxiety, depression and aggressiveness in male and female Swiss mice. Moreover, the reversibility of the effects was evaluated retesting the animals 30 days after the end of exposure. Swiss male and female mice (21 days) were exposed to 0, 50, 100 or 500 ppm of Pb, as Pb acetate, in drinking water for 70 days and were submitted to the forced swimming, tail suspension, elevated plus-maze or intruder-resident tests. Pb exposure to 50 and 500 ppm induced anti-depressant-like effect in both males and females, whereas exposure to 500 ppm induced anxiogenic effect only in males. Interruption of exposure was able to reverse the behavioral alterations in females, but not in males exposed to the highest concentration (500 ppm). Our results suggest that behavioral effects induced by subchronic exposure to Pb from weaning to adulthood and their reversion are concentration and gender dependent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences, State University of Londrina, Londrina, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aline C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Soeiro
authors.forename: Thiago S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Gouvêa
authors.forename: Estefânia G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Moreira
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000139:chemically induced*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003863:Depression / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D023421:Models, Animal; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C008261:lead acetate