Neurophysiological Changes Caused by Combined Treatment with Heavy Metals and Ethanol in Rats
László Nagymajtényi, Illés Dési, András Papp, and Tünde Vezér
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Hungary
Corresponding author: László Nagymajtényi
Department of Public Health
Faculty of Medicine
University of Szeged
Dóm tér 10.
H-6720 Szeged, Hungary
Telephone: (+36) 62 545 119
Fax number: (+36) 62 545 120
E-mail: nml@puhe.szote.u-szeged.hu
CEJOEM 2000, Vol.6. No.2-3.:217-223
Key words:
Lead, mercury, ethanol, electrocorticogram, cortical evoked potential, rat
Abstract:
In our days the whole population, especially in the developed countries, is continuously e
xposed to various environmental pollutants, e.g. heavy metals, and/or to ethanol in case of
alcohol addicts. As it was shown in previous experiments, these chemicals can cause considerable
changes in certain sensitive functional parameters of the central nervous system. Since the
population is usually exposed to several xenobiotics simultaneously, the aim of this study was
to investigate certain functional neurophysiological parameters following subchronic combined
treatment with well-known neurotoxic compounds. Rats were treated daily by gavage with low doses
of lead and mercury, given alone or in combination with 5% ethanol in the drinking water, in
different periods of intra- and/or extrauterine development of the nervous system. The results
showed that the combined application of the above neurotoxic substances induced more marked
alterations in the investigated neurophysiological parameters (electrocorticogram, cortical
evoked potential) than if they were given alone. These results emphasize the necessity of
further analysis of the combined effects induced by environmental xenobiotics - not only in
animal experiments but also in exposed human populations.
Received: 31 July 2000
Accepted: 01 December 2000
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