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Effects of prenatal exposure to temephos on behavior and social interaction

Ana Olívia Martins Laurentino1, Fabiana Durante de Medeiros1, Juliana de Oliveira1,2

  • 1Neurobiology Laboratory of Inflammatory and Metabolic Processes, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Tubarão, Santa Catarina, Brazil, fabiana.durante@gmail.com.

Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment
|March 19, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Prenatal exposure to the organophosphate temephos caused hyperactivity and social deficits in Wistar rats. This highlights potential neurodevelopmental risks associated with widespread temephos use in public health programs.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Toxicology
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • Neurodevelopment is sensitive to genetic and environmental factors.
  • Organophosphates (OP) are neurotoxic and linked to neurological disease.
  • Temephos, an OP, is widely used in Brazil for mosquito control.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the behavioral effects of prenatal temephos exposure in Wistar rats.

Main Methods:

  • Pregnant rats were exposed to temephos or distilled water during gestation (days 6-13).
  • Offspring were assessed for behavior on postnatal day 30.
  • Behavioral tests evaluated hyperactivity, stereotypy, and social interaction.

Main Results:

  • Prenatal temephos exposure led to hyperactivity in offspring.
  • Stereotyped behaviors were observed in exposed animals.
  • Social impairment was a significant outcome of prenatal temephos exposure.

Conclusions:

  • Temephos-induced behavioral changes resemble models of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorders.
  • This study raises concerns about the extensive use of temephos in Brazil.
  • Findings suggest potential neurodevelopmental damage from temephos exposure.

Keywords:
neurodevelopmentorganophosphatetemephostoxicity

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