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Aluminum induced encephalopathy in the rat
J J Lipman1, S P Colowick, P L Lawrence
1Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232.
Life Sciences
|January 1, 1988
Summary
Aluminum tartrate (AlT) causes progressive encephalopathy in rats, leading to behavioral changes and seizures. This model aids in studying aluminum toxicity and potential treatments for related human conditions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Toxicology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Aluminum tartrate (AlT) induces neurological deficits in rats, unlike sodium tartrate (NaT).
- This neurotoxicity manifests as progressive behavioral derangement and is lethal within 30-35 days.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the neurological and behavioral effects of aluminum tartrate-induced encephalopathy in rats.
- To investigate the impact of AlT on brain glucose uptake and electrocorticographic (ECoG) activity.
- To establish a rat model for studying central aluminum toxicity and evaluating potential therapeutic interventions.
Main Methods:
- Intracerebroventricular injection of AlT in rats.
- Behavioral assessments including shuttlebox tests for learning and memory.
- Measurement of glucose uptake in brain synaptosomes using the 2-deoxy-D-glucose method.
- Chronic electrocorticographic (ECoG) monitoring.
Main Results:
- AlT induced progressive encephalopathy, characterized by startle reactions, locomotor discoordination, and seizures.
- Impaired active and passive avoidance learning was observed 7-8 days post-AlT injection.
- Reduced glucose uptake in striatal and cortical synaptosomes occurred by day 7, with hypothalamic involvement by day 14.
- ECoG background rhythm showed reduced mean peak frequency around days 20-23.
Conclusions:
- Aluminum tartrate serves as a valuable model for studying central aluminum toxicity and encephalopathy.
- The observed impairments in behavior and brain glucose metabolism highlight the neurotoxic effects of AlT.
- This model holds potential for testing treatments against aluminum-associated neurological disorders in humans.
