Spectral Analysis of Kindled Hippocampal Afterdischarges in Lead‐Treated Rats

Abstract

Male rats were exposed to lead from parturition through weaning. When subjected to electrical hippocampal kindling as adults, although there were no alterations in the kindling rates, lead-treated animals were found to differ from controls in several other respects. In contrast to controls, lead-treated animals did not show an increase in afterdischarge (AD) duration with kindling, and the power spectrum of the AD did not shift to a higher peak frequency. There was a clear dose-related effect of lead on the spectra of the kindled AD, which in lead-treated groups was characterized by greater power in the low-frequency bands. These data indicate that long-lasting dysfunction can occur following a brief neonatal lead exposure. Power spectral techniques may be useful for future studies in neurotoxicology and epilepsy.

Effect of Postnatal Chronic Lead Exposure on Spatial Learning and Memory in Male Rat

“…Other studies have demonstrated that postnatal exposure to lead leads to disturbances in hippocampal structure, e.g., loss of granular and pyramidal cells as well as changes in dendritic spines [24,[28][29][30]. Also studies have demonstrated that lead affects cholinergic and serotonergic afferent connections to the hippocampus [31] and that change in hippocampal after discharge occur after neonatal lead exposure [32,33]. In summary, we conclude that lead exposure during the critical period of early brain development affects spatial learning and memory.…”