US EPA

1415790 

Journal Article 

Gender-dependent behavioral and sensory effects of a commercial mixture of polychlorinated biphenyls (Aroclor 1254) in rats 

Geller, AM; Oshiro, WM; Haykal-Coates, N; Kodavanti, PR; Bushnell, PJ 

2001 

1 

Toxicological Sciences
ISSN: 1096-6080
EISSN: 1096-0929 

59 

2 

268-277 

English 

11158720 

10.1093/toxsci/59.2.268 

WOS:000166638300011 

has comment/response 5092213 [Email to Laura Carlson regarding study quality evaluation for Geller et al. 2001]
has comment/response 5097449 [Emails to Laura Carlson regarding a request for information on Geller et al. 2001]

Developmental exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) has been associated with behavioral and cognitive deficits in humans and animal models. Perinatal exposure to PCBs has also been associated with sensory deficits in animal models. These effects were hypothesized to be mediated in part by ortho-substituted PCBs, which do not or weakly bind to the aryl hydrocarbon (Ah) receptor. The present studies were designed to determine whether perinatal exposure to Aroclor 1254, a commercial mixture of > 99% ortho-substituted PCBs, would affect cognitive and sensory function in Long-Evans rats. Adult male and female offspring of female rats fed Aroclor 1254 (Lot #124-191; doses of 0, 1, or 6 mg/kg/day; gestational day 6 through postnatal day 21; n = eight/group) were trained to perform a signal detection task capable of assessing sensory thresholds. Training included autoshaping and operant conditioning. Thresholds for detecting a 1-s light stimulus were determined under background illuminations ranging from 2 lux to complete darkness. Female rats exposed to Aroclor 1254 autoshaped more rapidly than control females, at a rate akin to control males. Control females had lower thresholds than control males at all levels of background illumination. These differences were abolished by Aroclor 1254, which reduced thresholds in males and increased thresholds in females. These data extend previous findings of gender-specific effects of PCBs on neurobehavioral development to measures of acquisition and sensory function. 

autoshaping; gender-dependent effects; Aroclor 1254; polychlorinated biphenyls; visual thresholds