Central Neurophysiological Changes Caused by Combined Treatment with Environmental
Xenobiotics in Rats
László Nagymajtényi, András Papp, and Tünde Vezér
Department of Public Health, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
Corresponding author: László Nagymajtényi
Department of Public Health
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 2004, Vol.10. No.1.: 46–51
Key words:
Electrocorticogram, pesticide, heavy metal, rat
Abstract:
Nowadays, the population mostly undergo multiple exposition to various chemical compounds. In
our previous experiments aimed at modelling human exposure to pesticides and heavy metals, it was
found that combinations like pesticide+pesticide or metal+metal caused different functional
alterations of the nervous system than the administration of single compounds did. The aim of this
study was to analyse the changes in certain central neurofunctional parameters caused with
combined treatment by low doses of three xenobiotics. The animals were given the substances
(pesticide+pesticide+pesticide, or metal+metal+metal) in different stages of the intra- and
extrauterine development. The doses, given by gavage, were 7.0 or 28.0 mg/kg dimethoate, 4.3 or
17.0 mg/kg propoxur, 5.4 or 21.6 mg/kg cypermetrine and 80.0 or 320.0 mg/kg lead, 0.4 or
16 mg/kg mercury, 3.5 or 14.0 mg/kg of cadmium (in form of
C4H6O4Pb, HgCl2, CdCl2, respectively). The
neurophysiological function investigated was the spontaneous activity of the brain
(electrocorticogram) in the somatosensory, visual, and auditory areas. The results showed that,
compared to the alterations caused by combinations of two pesticides or metals, the changes to
three xenobiotics seemed to be more marked or even significant. The neurophysiological alterations
found point to increased risk to simultaneous exposure to different environmental xenobiotics.
Received: 19 September 2003
Accepted: 1 December 2003
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