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Effects of exposure to an organophosphate pesticide on behavior and acetylcholinesterase activity in the common shrew, Sorex araneus
Author(s) -
Dell'Omo Giacomo,
Bryenton Rachel,
Shore Richard F.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.5620160224
Subject(s) - dimethoate , organophosphate , acetylcholinesterase , aché , araneus , sorex , phosphamidon , toxicology , open field , chemistry , biology , pesticide , endocrinology , biochemistry , zoology , ecology , enzyme
The behavioral and physiological effects of exposure to dimethoate, an organophosphate (OP) pesticide, were examined in common shrews, Sorex araneus , under laboratory conditions. Shrews were given either saline or an acute sublethal dose (50 mg/kg intraperitoneal) of dimethoate, and a time course of behavior was recorded in five 10‐min open field tests spaced over a 12‐h period. Parallel measurements of brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity were carried out to monitor the onset of brain AChE inhibition and its subsequent recovery. Dimethoate produced a significant depression of locomotor activity for approx. 6 h. Rearing, exploring, and sniffing activities were also significantly inhibited. The observed behavioral effects coincided with the maximal inhibition of AChE and disappeared before the brain AChE level had recovered. Statistically significant correlations were observed between the reduced frequencies of exploring, rearing, and crossings (a measure of locomotor activity) and the severity of inhibition of brain AChE activity, suggesting that brain AChE activity, the biomaker of exposure, could be used as a predictor of the severity of OP‐induced effects on behavior.