Gestational and Lactational Exposure to Atrazine via the Drinking Water Causes Specific Behavioral Deficits and Selectively Alters Monoaminergic Systems in C57BL/6 Mouse Dams, Juvenile and Adult Offspring

• DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfu107
• Publication Date: 2014-06-10T04:39:29Z
• Authors: Zhoumeng Lin; Celia A. Dodd; Shuo Xiao; Saritha Krishna; Xiaoqin Ye; Nikolay M. Filipov
• Keywords: Neurochemical; Thigmotaxis; Elevated plus maze

Atrazine (ATR) is one of the most frequently detected pesticides in U.S. water supply. This study aimed to investigate neurobehavioral and neurochemical effects ATR C57BL/6 mouse offspring dams exposed a relatively low (3 mg/l, estimated intake 1.4 mg/kg/day) concentration via drinking (DW) from gestational day 6 postnatal (PND) 23. Behavioral tests included open field, pole, grip strength, novel object recognition (NOR), forced swim, marble burying tests. Maternal weight gain (PND21, 35, 70) body or brain weights were not affected by ATR. However, ATR-treated exhibited decreased NOR performance trend toward hyperactivity. Juvenile (PND35) ATR-exposed hyperactive (both sexes), spent less time swimming (males), buried more marbles (females). In adult (PND70), only behavioral change was sex-specific (females) Neurochemically, increased striatal dopamine (DA) significant increase juvenile sexes) observed. Additionally, exposure perirhinal cortex serotonin female offspring. These results suggest that perinatal DW targets nigrostriatal DA pathway and, especially, offspring, alters dams' cognitive performance, induces sex-selective changes involving motor emotional functions decreases ability with latter possibly associated altered homeostasis. Overall, during gestation lactation may cause adverse nervous system both dams.