Nasal instillation of nanoparticle-rich diesel exhaust particles slightly affects emotional behavior and learning capability in rats

Syunji Yokota; Hiromasa Takashima; Ryo Ohta; Yoshiaki Saito; Takashi Miyahara; Yuka Yoshida; Tsukasa Negura; Mika Senuma; Kenji Usumi; Naoyuki Hirabayashi; Takaho Watanabe; Shinji Horiuchi; Yuji Fujitani; Seishiro Hirano; Hidekazu Fujimaki

doi:10.2131/jts.36.267

Original Article

Nasal instillation of nanoparticle-rich diesel exhaust particles slightly affects emotional behavior and learning capability in rats

Syunji Yokota, Hiromasa Takashima, Ryo Ohta, Yoshiaki Saito, Takashi Miyahara, Yuka Yoshida, Tsukasa Negura, Mika Senuma, Kenji Usumi, Naoyuki Hirabayashi, Takaho Watanabe, Shinji Horiuchi, Yuji Fujitani, Seishiro Hirano, Hidekazu Fujimaki

Author information

Syunji Yokota
First Laboratory of Toxicology
Hiromasa Takashima
First Laboratory of Toxicology
Ryo Ohta
Laboratory of Genetics
Yoshiaki Saito
Laboratory of Pathology
Takashi Miyahara
First Laboratory of Toxicology
Yuka Yoshida
First Laboratory of Toxicology
Tsukasa Negura
First Laboratory of Toxicology
Mika Senuma
First Laboratory of Toxicology
Kenji Usumi
Laboratory of Pathology
Naoyuki Hirabayashi
Laboratory of Chemistry
Takaho Watanabe
Laboratory of Chemistry
Shinji Horiuchi
Animal Care, Hatano Research Institute, Food and Drug Safety Center
Yuji Fujitani
Research Center for Environmental Risk, National Institute for Environmental Studies
Seishiro Hirano
Research Center for Environmental Risk, National Institute for Environmental Studies
Hidekazu Fujimaki
Research Center for Environmental Risk, National Institute for Environmental Studies

Keywords: Olfactory bulb, Avoidance test, Spontaneous activity, Nanoparticle

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2011 Volume 36 Issue 3 Pages 267-276

DOI https://doi.org/10.2131/jts.36.267

Details

Abstract

In the present study, in order to reveal novel adverse effects of ultrafine particles (UFP) on the central nervous system, the effects of nanoparticle-rich diesel exhaust particles (NRDEP; count mode diameter, 21.45 nm) on emotional behavior, learning capability and brain neurotransmitter levels were studied in rats by intranasal instillation (iNI). NRDEP (10 and 50 µg/rat) was instilled into 2-week old infant, male rats once a week for 4 weeks. Spontaneous motor activity measured was observed to be inverse to the dose level. In active avoidance tests using a shuttle box, NRDEP-treated animals showed a lower avoidance performance than control animals given air-instillation. The levels of dopamine and its metabolite (DOPAC) in the medial mammillary nucleus of the brain tended to be lower in the NRDEP-treated animals. From these results, although the effects of NRDEP by iNI on the emotionality and the brain neurotransmitter levels were not fully clear, the results obtained by avoidance testing suggested involvement of UFP in learning capability.

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