LOWER ANXIETY IN RATS EXPOSED TO LOW ARSENIC CONCENTRATIONS DURING PREGNANCY AND LACTATION

GUMILAR, FERNANDA; LENCINAS, ILEANA; BARTOS, MARIANA; BRAS, CRISTINA; GALLEGOS, CRISTINA; MINETTI, ALEJANDRA; GIANNUZZI, LEDA

Buenos Aires

Congreso; 52nd ANNUAL MEETING OF THE TIAFT; 2014

TIAFT

Aims: The purpose of the present study was to study in young and adult rats, the effect of exposure to low concentrations of arsenic (As) during pregnancy and lactation, on the level anxiety, using a plus maze. Methods: Pregnant female rats were exposed to 0.05 and 0.10 mg/L As in drinking water during pregnancy and lactation. In the 45- and 90-day-old offspring, anxiety was determined using an elevated plus maze. The plus maze consisted of two arms enclosed and located perpendicularly to two open arms. The test exploits a rodent?s natural conflict between avoidance and exploration of open and elevated areas. The rats were placed in the center of the maze and were allowed to explore the maze freely for 5 min. The following parameters were calculated: i) percentage of time spent in the open arms, ii) percentage of entries in the open arms, and iii) total number of arm entries. Increased time spent and entries in the open arms are consistent with a decrease in anxiety behavior. Results: The test revealed that young female and male offsprings exposed to 0.10 mg/L As, spent more time and showed high number of entries in the open arms than those of the control group (p