Influence of acute hypoxia in late gestation period on the development of toluene neurotoxic effect in adult albino rats

Abstract

The aim of the present investigation is to estimate the role of prenatal hypoxia in toluene neurotoxic effect in adult rats. Toluene-induced behavioral and electroencephalographic manifestations were investigated in animals with normal and abnormal embryonic development. To simulate prenatal hypoxia, we gave subcutaneous injections of sodium nitrite to pregnant female rats in a dose of 50 mg/kg on the 18-19^th day of gestation. At the age of 3 months the males from the offspring were exposed to toluene inhalation (560 mg/m³, 4 weeks, 4 h/day, 5 days/week). After toluene inhalation exposure we estimated rats' individual behavior by plus maze test and visual and auditory evoked potentials (VEPs and AEPs). Toluene reduced P2N2 interpeak amplitude of VEPs compared with control rats without any latency change. We found out that toluene exposure of rats with acute prenatal hypoxia in late gestation had led to inhibition of motor activity and a statistically significant increase in latency of VEP's N1, AEP's P3 and N1P2 interpeak amplitude of AEP in comparison with all remained groups. Thus, these results show that prenatal hypoxic damage to the central nervous system is an aggravating factor in toluene intoxication in rats.