Chronic exposure to paraquat induces changes in body weight gain, anxiety like behavior and non olfactory discrimination.

KARADAYIAN, A.G.; CZERNICZYNIEC, A.; BUSTAMANTE, J.; LORES ARNAIZ, S.; CUTRERA, RA.

Huerta Grande

Congreso; Second Joint Meeting of the Argentine Society for Neuroscience and the Argentine Workshop in Neuroscience; 2010

Sociedad Argentina de Neurociencias

Recently, paraquat (PQ) has been described as a potential environmental neurotoxin associated with risk for neurodegenerative diseases often developing after chronic exposure. It is known that chronic PQ exposure induces changes in the neurobehavior compromising the motor and sensitive functions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible cognitive and sensitive changes weekly in an experimental model of PQ toxicity during a month. Materials and Methods: SD female rats (n=12) were divided in two groups which received either PQ (10 mg/Kg i.p.) or saline once a week during four weeks. Body weight gain, anxiety like behavior and non social olfactory discrimination were monitored throughout the treatment. Results: PQ treated and control mice gained body weight on average. However, the body weight gain of the PQ-treated group was lower than control groups in the last week (p<0.01). Together with this, PQ animals presented a significant increase in anxiety like behavior from the first injection (p<0.05) and a reduction of the olfactory discrimination when animals were exposed to a novel scent from the second injection (p<0.05 t-student paired test). This research suggests that PQ treatment induces behavioral changes that could be involved in the first steps of Parkinsonism.