NEUROBEHAVIORAL AND NEUROCHEMICAL CHANGES IN GROWING RATS AFTER CADMIUM EXPOSURE

The effect of a daily intraperitoneal cadmium administration, of 0.4 mg Cd/kg body weight for 30 days to weaned rats on the content of biogenic, amines in different brain regions and behavioral pattern was investigated. Significant decrease in 5-hydroxytryptamine contents of cerebellum and corpus striatum while an increase in hippocampus was noticed in Cd treated rats. Dopamine was significantly increased in cerebellum and hippocampus whereas it was decreased in corpus striatum and rest of the brain regions. Norepinephrine was significantly increased in almost all the regions except for rest of the brain region where a significant decrease was noticed. A reduction in spontaneous locomotor activity and learning ability was also observed. Cessation of the Cd-treatment for 30 days could not reverse the alterations in the neurotransmitter levels induced by the previous treatment except for the levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine in cerebellum and norepinephrine levels in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. The behavioral deficits also persisted suggesting a long lasting neurological effects of cadmium exposure.