IMPORTANCE OF SCHEDULE OF EXPOSURE TO HEXANE IN CAUSING NEUROTOXICITY

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 4  (1) , 71-78
Abstract
Male Fischer rats exposed continuously (24 h/day) to 1000 ppm hexane 5 days/wk for 11 wk developed clear and long-lasting neurotoxic signs, as reflected by a marked decrease in hind-limb grip strength and severe impairment of performance of a multisensory conditioned avoidance response (CAR); transient decreases in undifferentiated motor activity and fore-limb grip strength were also seen. Other rats were only slightly affected by repeated, brief (10 min) exposures to high concentrations (24,000 or 48,000 ppm) of hexane 6 or 12 times/day, 5 days/wk for 18 wk; when the frequency of exposure to 48,000 ppm hexane was increased to 24 times/day (10 min on and 5 min off), 5 days/wk for 4 additional wk, more severe signs of neurobehavioral toxicity appeared.