Experimental acute lead encephalopathy in the juvenile rhesus monkey

Lead subacetate (0.5g) and 1000 units of vitamin D were given three times a week to four newly-weaned rhesus monkeys. In addition, two animals received only the vitamin D. The poisoned animals had an increase in the urinary excretion of delta-aminolevulinic acid, an elevated content of lead in the blood, and a fall in hemoglobin concentration. Between 6 and 18 weeks the animals suddenly developed ataxia, nystagmus, generalized weakness, and convulsions. At this time the animals were killed by perfusion of fixative and the brain prepared for light and electron microscopic studies. Definite morphological evidence of disease was confined to the central nervous system, except for one animal which showed the characteristic renal inclusions of lead poisoning. All animals showed PAS-positive globules associated with blood vessels and an exudative edema involving the white matter of the cerebral hemispheres and cerebellum. Ultra-structurally, this appeared as a granular precipitate within an expanded extracellular space. Alterations of nerve fibers were not seen in the white matter but axonal swelling was observed in the cerebral cortex. The perikaryon and neuropil appeared normal. The control animals showed no significant cerebral changes.