Influence Of Low Level Maternal Pb Exposure On Stress Challenge Responsivity Of Prenatally-Stressed Offspring

VIRGOLINI, M.B.; ROSSI-GEORGE, A; WESTON, D.D.; CORY-SLECHTA, D.A.

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Año: 2008 vol. 29 p. 928 - 928

We previously demonstrated potentiated effects ofmaternal Pb exposure producing blood Pb(PbB) levelsaveraging 39 mg/dl combined with prenatal restraint stress (PS) on stress challenge responsivity offemale offspring as adults. The present study sought to determine if: (1) such interactions occurred atlower PbBs, (2) exhibited gender specificity, and (3) corticosterone and neurochemical changescontributed to behavioral outcomes. Rat dams were exposed to 0, 50 or 150 ppm Pb acetate drinkingwater solutions from 2 mos prior to breeding through lactation (pup exposure ended at weaning; meanPbBs of dams at weaning were <1, 11 and 31 mg/dl, respectively); a subset in each Pb group underwentprenatal restraint stress (PS) on gestational days 16?17. The effects of variable intermittent stresschallenge (restraint, cold, novelty) on Fixed Interval (FI) schedule controlled behavior and corticosteronewere examined in offspring when the