Effects of long-term low-level arsenic exposure through drinking water on cognitive learning in mice / 中华地方病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the effects of long-term low dose arsenic exposure through drinking water on learning ability of different generations of C3H and Balb/c mice.Methods Mice (C3H and Balb/c) were exposed to arsenic at 0 mg/L (control) and 85 mg/L (20 female mice and 10 male mice per group).The control group and F1,F2,F3 and F4 mice were selected and divided into 5 experimental groups,8 mice in each group.Their offsprings were detected by the Morris water maze test (the average escape latency of 1 to 5 days) and spatial probe test (the times of through target area on the sixth day).Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 18.0 software.Results The average escape latencies of 1 to 5 days in C3H control group were (48.09 ± 2.63),(46.09 ± 3.27),(42.72 ± 3.29),(39.31 ± 2.69) and (36.75 ± 3.92) s,F1 were (49.59 ± 3.29),(47.34 ± 3.01),(44.28 ± 6.58),(44.50 ±1.67) and (42.16 ± 2.27) s,F2 were (51.41 ± 0.78),(48.88 ± 1.45),(45.54 ± 1.46),(43.94 ± 1.69) and (42.22 ± 3.27) s,F3 were (50.91 ± 4.20),(49.78 ± 5.18),(48.03 3.45),(46.16 ± 4.42) and (44.06 ± 1.04) s,F4 were (52.66 ± 4.60),(52.38 ± 5.78),(49.06 ± 1.22),(47.69 ± 2.34) and (46.47 ± 1.56) s.The average escape latencies of Balb/c control group were (50.91 ± 2.84),(47.03 ± 4.22),(45.56 ± 4.53),(39.72 ± 5.90) and (36.22 ± 4.85) s,F1 were (50.47 ±3.20),(48.25 ± 6.53),(47.13 ± 1.25),(43.72 ± 4.27) and (40.66 ± 4.52) s,F2 were (51.31 ± 4.73),(48.88 ± 1.53),(46.56 ± 1.43),(44.25 ± 1.16) and (41.20 ± 3.79) s,F3 were (51.72 ± 3.54),(50.78 ± 4.45),(45.03 ± 3.56),(41.19 ±5.63) and (42.81 ± 6.29) s,F4 were (53.34 ± 4.60),(52.34 ± 2.77),(48.72 ± 5.92),(46.97 ± 7.38) and (44.94 ± 1.75) s.On the fourth and fifth days of F1,F2,F3 and F4 generations of C3H,the escape latencies between generations were significantly different (all P ＜ 0.05).The times of through target area in the sixth day of the C3H control group and F1,F2,F3 and F4 mice were 2.25,1.75,1.63,1.50 and 1.38,Balb/c were 2.13,1.75,1.63,1.38 and 1.13.Conclusion Arsenic accumulation due to serial passage of C3H and Balb/c through long-term low doses arsenic exposure through drinking water has resulted in decreased learning and memory ability.