Effects of organic solvents on motor activity in mice

Groups of male mice were exposed via inhalation to methylene chloride, perchloroethylene, toluene, trichloroethylene or 1,1,1-trichloroethane. The exposures were started at 2300 h. Generation of vapor was stopped after 1 h. Motor activity of the animals during the exposures was measured with a Doppler radar. Several concentrations of each solvent were tested. Concentrations could be found for all solvents at which they initially increased the motor activity. When the generation of vapor was terminated and the concentration started to decline, a new phase of changes in motor activity was induced. At this phase, motor activity was in most cases influence in the opposite direction to that at the beginning of the exposure. Trichloroethylene concentrations could be found which gave no increase in activity at the start of exposure but a prominent decrease at termination. The lowest concentration at which effects could be seen was different for the different solvents. Perchloroethylene was more and 1,1,1-trichloroethane less potent than the other solvents in inducing motor activity. The time pattern of the motor activity alterations was specific for each solvent. Both the concentration and the rate of the concentration increase were responsible for the effects on motor activity. The differences between the solvents probably reflect differences in their site of action, their distribution and their biotransformation.