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The effect of fluorine exposure of pregnant rats on the learning and memory capabilities of baby rats
| Chinese Journal of Public Health | Zhang J, Zhu W, Zhang Z. | 25(11):1347-48.
Pregnant animal Behavior Brain Brain Cellular/Tissue Effects Cognitive Function Enzymes Oxidative Stress Animal Study

Abstract

Objective: Explore the effect and possible mechanisms of fluorine exposure of pregnant rats passing through placental barriers on the learning and memory capabilities of baby rats.

Method: Open field behavior and a water maze test were used to observe the effects on the spontaneous behavior and learning and memory on baby rats when the pregnant rats drank different concentrations of sodium fluoride solution and the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents in the brains of the baby rats were measured.

Results: Compared to the control group (33.91 +/- 7.36), there was a significant increase (P<0.01) in the number of times the low-fluorine group baby mice stood up (44.64 +/1 4.73); compared to the control group, there was a significant decrease (P<0.01) in the fecal particles of the low- and high-fluorine groups, and a significant decrease (P<0.01 or P<0.05) in the number of movements within 3 min of the middle- and high-fluorine baby rat groups; the number of movements within 1 min of the middle- and high-fluorine baby rat groups was (44.82 +/- 9.74) and (40.60 +/- 11.29), respectively, significantly lower than the low-fluorine group (57.93 +/- 14.64) (P<0.01); compared to the control group, there was a decreasing trend in the learning capabilities of the middle- and high-fluorine baby rat groups; the SOD activity (490.43 +/- 48.86) U/mL in the brains of the high-fluorine group baby rats was clearly lower than that of the control group (543.54 +/- 36.72) U/mL, and there was an elevated trend of MDA content in the brains of the baby rats in all of the fluorine contamination groups.

Conclusion: Passing through placental barriers, the fluorine exposure of pregnant rats can have a certain effect on the learning and memory capabilities of baby rats, and it may be related to SOD activity and MDA content in the brain.

(Translated by Alta Language Services in February 2014, courtesy of Fluoride Action Network)