RESUMEN
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the improvement of taurine (Tau) in learning and memory ability of rats exposed to lead.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group: treated with distilled water; lead group: treated with lead acetate (40 mg.kg(-1).d(-1)); lead-taurine group 1, 2, 3: lead acetate (40 mg.kg(-1).d(-1)) + different concentrations of taurine (100, 400, 800 mg.kg(-1).d(-1)). The ability of learning and memory of rats were measured weekly by spatial water maze test from the 5th to 8th week. At the end of the experiment, the rats were killed, the samples of blood and brain were taken for test.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) The time of seeking anchorage of lead-Tau 800 mg group in the 6th, 7th, 8th week and that of lead-Tau 400 mg group in the 6th week were significantly lower than that of lead group (P<0.05). (2) Blood lead contents in lead-Tau 100 mg and lead-Tau 400 mg group [(510.9 +/- 57.56) microg/L, (485.40 +/- 98.85) microg/L] were different from those in lead group (P<0.05). (3) The content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), nitric oxide synthase (NOS), acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in brain of lead-Tau 800 mg group and lead-Tau 400 mg group were also different from those in lead group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The content of GSH and the activity of GSH-Px in lead-Tau 800 mg group were different from those in lead group (P<0.05) as well.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Taurine could improve learning and memory ability of rats exposed to lead and may play a protective role in brain.</p>