Investigations of amitraz neurotoxicity in rats. II. Effects on visual evoked potentials

As a part of a series of studies investigating the possible neurotoxicity of amitraz (AMZ), a formamidine pesticide, visual evoked potentials were recorded from Long-Evans rats following acute and short-term repeated exposures to AMZ. The first of three experiments examined the relationship between a single ip injection of AMZ (0, 50, and 100 mg/kg) and the latency and peak-to-peak amplitude of pattern-reversal (PREP) and flash-evoked potentials (FEP). The effects of another formamidine, chlordimeform (CDM; 40 mg/kg), were also studied for comparison purposes. Two hours after treatment, AMZ exposure produced large, dose-related increases in PREP amplitudes. Exposure to CDM produced similar changes. Neither compound changed FEP amplitudes. Body temperatures were reduced and evoked potential peak latencies were increased by both compounds. The latency increases were probably a secondary consequence of hypothermia. In the second experiment, PREPs were recorded before and 2, 24, 48, and 72 hr after treatment with AMZ (100 mg/kg). The time course of changes was biphasic in nature, with increases in amplitudes (N1P1, P1N2, and N2P3) 2 hr after treatment followed by subsequent depression in amplitude (P2N3) at 48 hr. Recovery occurred by 72 hr after treatment. The third experiment examined the effects of three daily treatments with either vehicle or 50 or 100 mg/kg AMZ. Body weights and body temperatures showed dose-related reductions which progressed with each additional treatment and recovered partially by 6 days after cessation of treatment. The PREPs of AMZ-treated rats agains showed biphasic changes, with N1P1 and P1N2 amplitudes significantly increased on each day of treatment and 1-2 days following the third treatment. Amplitude P2N3 showed an initial increase on the first 2 days of treatment, followed by subsequent, progressive amplitude reductions. In summary, AMZ produced two phases of change in visual evoked potentials. The first phase was characterized by large increases in PREP amplitudes without increasing FEP amplitudes in the same rats. The second phase was characterized by suppression of PREP P2N3 amplitude. Short-term repeated exposure produced signs of accumulating intoxication including progressive loss of body weight, lowered body temperature, and prolonged duration of evoked potential changes.