Pesticides were economically important chemicals in agriculture. Their use has permitted agricultural progress, through the eradication of harmful insect and the fight against vectors of disease. However, several studies question the beneficial effects of organophosphorus compounds, showing that their deregulated use causes various problems of environmental pollution and human health. The present study shows that chronic exposure to a subtoxic dose of dimethoate is likely to affect cognitive and behavioral functions of rats (both males and females). Our results show that exposure to dimethoate affects both short and long-term memory capacities. The short-term memory results are more pronounced. Treatment with nettle extract allowed a significant improvement in cognitive and behavioral performance of the rats after their exposure to dimethoate.

Developmental exposure to organophosphate insecticide is well known to induce neurobehavioral impairments, at late period. The present study aims to investigate the effects of subchronic exposure to Dimethoate, on locomotors skills and anxiety like behavior among wistar rat. Two groups of female's rats are used. The intoxicated group receives daily, during five weeks, by intragastric gavage, a dose of Dimethoate dissolved in corn oil (100 mg/kg body weight). The control group receives only the corn oil. Spontaneous locomotors activity is evaluated using the Open Field test (OF) and anxiety-like behavior is measured using Elevated Plus-Maze (EPM). Dimethoate induced significant impairment of spontaneous locomotors activities, which is reflected by high decrease of number of squares crossed (SC) in OF. Females exposed to Dimethoate develop further anxiety-like response, expressed by significant reductions of the time spent in open arm of Elevated Plus-Maze.