title: Influence of multi-walled carbon nanotubes on the cognitive abilities of Wistar rats.
abstract: Studies of the neurobehavioral effects of carbon nanomaterials, particularly those of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), have concentrated on cognitive effects, but data are scarce. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of MWCNTs on a number of higher nervous system functions of Wistar rats. For a period of 10 days, two experimental groups were fed with MWCNTs of different diameters (MWCNT-1 group, 8-10 nm; MWCNT-2 group, 18-20 nm) once a day at a dosage of 500 mg/kg. In the open-field test, reductions of integral indications of researching activity were observed for the two MWCNT-treated groups, with a parallel significant (P<0.01) increase in stress levels for these groups compared with the untreated control group. In the elevated plus-maze test, integral indices of researching activity in the MWCNT-1 and MWCNT-2 groups reduced by day 10 by 51 and 62%, respectively, while rat stress levels remained relatively unchanged. In the universal problem solving box test, reductions in motivation and energy indices of researching activity were observed in the two experimental groups. Searching activity in the MWCNT-1 group by day 3 was reduced by 50% (P<0.01) and in the MWCNT-2 group the relevant reduction reached 11.2%. By day 10, the reduction compared with controls, was 64% (P<0.01) and 58% (P<0.01) for the MWCNT-1 and MWCNT-2 groups, respectively. In conclusion, a series of specific tests demonstrated that MWCNT-treated rats experienced a significant reduction of some of their cognitive abilities, a disturbing and worrying finding, taking into consideration the continuing and accelerating use of carbon nanotubes in medicine and science.
authors: Department of Physiology, Amur State Medical Academy, 675000 Blagoveshchensk, Russia.
authors: Nina V
authors: NV
authors: Sayapina
authors: Scientific Educational Center of Nanotechnology, Far Eastern Federal University, 690950 Vladivostok, Russia.
authors: Alexander A
authors: AA
authors: Sergievich
authors: Group of Surface Compounds Synthesis, Boreskov Institute of Catalysis SB RAS, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia.
authors: Vladimir L
authors: VL
authors: Kuznetsov
authors: Scientific Educational Center of Nanotechnology, Far Eastern Federal University, 690950 Vladivostok, Russia.
authors: Vladimir V
authors: VV
authors: Chaika
authors: Scientific Educational Center of Nanotechnology, Far Eastern Federal University, 690950 Vladivostok, Russia.
authors: Irina G
authors: IG
authors: Lisitskaya
authors: Technical Institute, North-Eastern Federal University, 678962 Nerungri, Russia.
authors: Pavel P
authors: PP
authors: Khoroshikh
authors: Department of Physiology, Amur State Medical Academy, 675000 Blagoveshchensk, Russia.
authors: Tatyana A
authors: TA
authors: Batalova
authors: Cardiology Department, University Hospital of Larissa, 41110 Thessaly, Greece.
authors: Kostas
authors: K
authors: Tsarouhas
authors: Laboratory of Clinical Virology, Medical School, University of Crete, 74100 Heraklion, Greece.
authors: Demetrios
authors: D
authors: Spandidos
authors: Scientific Educational Center of Nanotechnology, Far Eastern Federal University, 690950 Vladivostok, Russia; Department of Forensic Sciences and Toxicology, Medical School, University of Crete, 74100 Heraklion, Greece.
authors: Aristidis M
authors: AM
authors: Tsatsakis
authors: Department of Occupational Medicine, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy.
authors: Concettina
authors: C
authors: Fenga
authors: Scientific Educational Center of Nanotechnology, Far Eastern Federal University, 690950 Vladivostok, Russia.
authors: Kirill S
authors: KS
authors: Golokhvast
keywords: Wistar rats; cognitive; multi-walled carbon nanotubes; stress