Objective To investigate the neurobehavioral changes induced by short-term inhalation of methanol in male SD rats, and provide evidence for studies on methanol neurotoxicity mechanism.
Methods Sixty-four healthy male SD ratsbody weight (200±20)g were randomly divided into control group (0 g/m3) and low (25.344 g/m3), medium (50.688 g/m3), and high (101.376 g/m3) dose groups, with 16 rats in each group.The rats were exposed to the designed dosages of methanol for 28 d.Then water maze test and open field test were used for neurobehavioral evaluation.
Results After exposure for two weeks, the average weight gains of the medium dose group(73.11±30.18)g and the high dose group(70.50±29.59)g were significantly lower than those of the control group(107.23±24.10)g and the low dose group(94.22±11.78)g.After exposure for three weeks, the average weight gain of the high dose group(96.61±25.83)g was significantly lower than that of the control group(137.81±28.62)g and the low dose group(122.04±16.62)g, and the average weight gain of the medium dose group(107.18±38.27)g was significantly lower than that of the control group(137.81±28.62)g.After exposure for four weeks, the average weight gain of the high dose group(118.44±29.68)g was significantly lower than that of the control group(144.76±27.56)g.In the water maze experiment:the latency of the high dose group was significantly longer than that of the control group (P<0.05); the numbers of crossing platforms in the medium dose group (0.91±0.74) and the high dose group (0.78±0.60) were less than that in the control group (1.44±0.60); the southeast quadrant time/total time of the high dose group(26.50±7.66)% was lower than that of the control group(32.45±8.10)% and the low dose group(32.49±6.04)%; the southeast quadrant distance/total distance of the high dose group(26.94±4.98)% was lower than that of the control group(31.42±6.10)%.In the open field experiment:the total distance and total speed of all methanol exposed groups were lower than those of the control group respectively (P<0.05); the tance and the frequency in the central area of the medium dose group and the high dose group were less than those of the control group respectively (P<0.05); the central region time/total time of the high dose group was lower than that of the control group and the low dose group (P<0.05).
Conclusion Methanol exposure has a significant effect on body weight gain of male rats, and causes damage to nervous system, affecting cognitive function and motor function.Higher methanol exposure dose is associated with more severe effects.
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