title: Perinatal exposure to low-dose BDE-47, an emergent environmental contaminant, causes hyperactivity in rat offspring.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) are a group of environmental contaminants increasing in North America. Few data are available on neurobehavioral effects at low-dose exposure.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our goal in the present study was to evaluate whether low-dose BDE-47, which is the most abundant PBDE in human samples, affects the neurobehavioral development of rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dams were exposed to vehicle or low-dose BDE-47 (0.002, 0.02 and 0.2 mg/kg body weight) each 5 days from gestational day 15 to postnatal day (PND) 20 by intravenous injections. Spontaneous locomotor activity of pups was assessed using the open field test on PND 15, 20 and 25. Sensorimotor coordination was assessed using a RotaRod on PND 30.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Exposure to BDE-47 increased locomotor activity of pups. Developmental landmarks and sensorimotor coordination were not influenced by exposure to BDE-47. BDE-47 content in adipose tissue of exposed rats was similar to that known for human populations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate neurodevelopmental disruption induced in rats by BDE-47 at levels found in the human population.
authors.affiliation: Département d'Obstétrique Gynécologie, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Qué., Canada.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suvorov
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Girard
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lachapelle
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Abdelouahab
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sebire
authors.forename: Larissa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Takser
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000833:Animals, Suckling; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D006948:Hyperkinesis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; C511295:2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether