Interactions between handling and acrylamide on the striatal dopamine receptor

Rats were either handled for one week or were left undisturbed in their home cages. Twenty-four hours after exposure to 100 mg/kg acrylamide, rats were sacrificed and spiroperidol binding investigated in the striatum. In handling-gentled rats, spiroperidol binding was reduced by acrylamide. In non-handled animals, no overall drug effects were seen, but the effect of acrylamide varied with the time of sacrifice. These results demonstrate the importance of environmental factors in the response to neurotoxicants.