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Acquisition of acoustic startle shows a dose-response to serum free T4
1Department of Developmental Genetics and Anatomy, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106.
Abstract:
Methimazole, administered to rats in drinking water (0.1 and 0.05%) from embryonic day 17 to postnatal day 10, caused a dose-dependent decrease in serum Free T4 and an accompanying dose dependent delay in acquisition of acoustic startle reflex. In conjunction with other studies showing the specific dependence of acoustic startle development on thyroid hormone, this study suggests that the acoustic startle system may be a useful model for determining thyroid hormone requirements for normal neurologic development.