Subacute oral exposure to benzo[alpha]pyrene (B[alpha]P) increases aggressiveness and affects consummatory aspects of sexual behaviour in male mice.
Benzo[alpha]pyrene (B[alpha]P) is a neurotoxic pollutant which is also able to affect some behaviour and cognitive function. Here we report that a subacute oral exposure to B[alpha]P increases aggressiveness and affects copulatory behaviour in male mice. Indeed, after 3 weeks of exposure to B[alpha]P at 0.02 and 0.2mg/kg, we have observed that B[alpha]P 0.02 mg/kg-treated male mice are more aggressive than control mice in resident-intruder test because a significant decrease in the latency time of the first attack and a significant increase in the number of attacks in B[alpha]P 0.02 mg/kg-treated mice were found. On the other hand, we have found that subacute exposure (4 weeks) to B[alpha]P, does not affect the appetitive aspects and sexual motivation in copulatory behaviour because the latency to the first mount between control and B[alpha]P-treated male mice was not significantly different. We have nevertheless, surprisingly found that B[alpha]P (0.02-0.2)mg/kg-treated mice have performed significantly more sexual behavioural acts including mounting, intromission latency and intromission frequency than control mice. Although these last results suggest that B[alpha]P improves the consummatory aspects of sexual behaviour, we cannot conclude that this neurotoxic pollutant has advantage of sexual function because B[alpha]P has been shown to alter the monoaminergic neurotransmitter system and causes endocrine dysregulation via toxic effect.
Neurotoxicologie Alimentaire et Bioactivié, UR AFPA, Université Paul Verlaine de Metz-INPL-INRA, 57040 Metz, France. bouayedj@yahoo.fr
Jaouad
J
Bouayed
Frédéric
F
Desor
Rachid
R
Soulimani
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003259:Consummatory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*
D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene