title: Evaluation of the effects of chronic intoxication with inorganic mercury on memory and motor control in rats.
abstract: The aims of this study were to evaluate whether chronic intoxication with mercury chloride (HgCl2), in a low concentration over a long time, can be deposited in the central nervous tissue and to determine if this exposure induces motor and cognitive impairments. Twenty animals were intoxicated for 45 days at a dose of 0.375 mg/kg/day. After this period, the animals underwent a battery of behavioral tests, in a sequence of open field, social recognition, elevated T maze and rotarod tests. They were then sacrificed, their brains collected and the motor cortex and hippocampus dissected for quantification of mercury deposited. This study demonstrates that long-term chronic HgCl2 intoxication in rats promotes functional damage. Exposure to HgCl2 induced anxiety-related responses, short- and long-term memory impairments and motor deficits. Additionally, HgCl2 accumulated in both the hippocampus and cortex of the brain with a higher affinity for the cortex.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Functional and Structural Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, 66075-900 Belém-Pará, Brazil. teixeira.f.bruno@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Francisco B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Functional and Structural Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, 66075-900 Belém-Pará, Brazil. faelfernandes@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Rafael M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Functional and Structural Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, 66075-900 Belém-Pará, Brazil. paulo.junior@ics.ufpa.br.
authors.forename: Paulo M A
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Farias-Junior
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Functional and Structural Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, 66075-900 Belém-Pará, Brazil. natacha_malu@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Natacha M M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Pharmacology of Inflammation and Behavior, Institute of Health Sciences, Federal University of Pará, 66075-900 Belém-Pará, Brazil. luannafe@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Luanna M P
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Functional and Structural Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, 66075-900 Belém-Pará, Brazil. luana_lnss@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Luana N S
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Santana
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Functional and Structural Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, 66075-900 Belém-Pará, Brazil. ademirjunior@ufpa.br.
authors.forename: Ademir F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Silva-Junior
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Functional and Structural Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, 66075-900 Belém-Pará, Brazil. marciaf@ufpa.br.
authors.forename: Marcia C F
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Pharmacology of Inflammation and Behavior, Institute of Health Sciences, Federal University of Pará, 66075-900 Belém-Pará, Brazil. crismaia@ufpa.br.
authors.forename: Cristiane S F
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Maia
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Functional and Structural Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, 66075-900 Belém-Pará, Brazil. rafalima@ufpa.br.
authors.forename: Rafael R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Lima
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D008627:Mercuric Chloride / Q000633:toxicity*; D020262:Mercury Poisoning, Nervous System / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D008627:Mercuric Chloride