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Succimer chelation normalizes reactivity to reward omission and errors in lead-exposed rats
Stéphane A Beaudin1, Diane E Stangle, Donald R Smith
1Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Savage Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
Neurotoxicology and Teratology
|January 2, 2007
Summary
Succimer treatment effectively reduced neurobehavioral deficits in rats exposed to lead (Pb) early in life. However, the drug may negatively impact unexposed individuals, suggesting careful administration.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Toxicology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Early-life lead (Pb) exposure causes lasting neurobehavioral dysfunction.
- Chelation therapy is a potential intervention for lead poisoning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of succimer in mitigating behavioral deficits caused by early lead exposure in rats.
- To assess potential adverse effects of succimer in non-lead-exposed animals.
Main Methods:
- A 3x2 factorial design with three lead exposure levels (None, Moderate, High) and two chelation treatments (succimer, vehicle).
- Behavioral testing included conditional olfactory discrimination tasks, with and without reward omission, from 2 to 9 months of age.
Main Results:
- Lead-exposed rats showed greater performance disruption after errors and heightened sensitivity to reward omission.
- Succimer treatment normalized these heightened reactivities in lead-exposed rats.
- Non-lead-exposed rats receiving succimer exhibited increased post-error response latency.
Conclusions:
- Succimer chelation significantly alleviates lasting neurobehavioral dysfunction from early lead exposure.
- Administering succimer to individuals without elevated blood lead levels may carry risks.
