Growth, Behavior, and Brain Catecholamines in Lead-Exposed Neonatal Rats: A Reappraisal

Abstract
Daily oral administration of lead to newborn rats has no adverse effect on their body growth. Lead-treated rats were more active than age-matched controls. Endogenous levels of brain dopamine were unchanged, whereas norepinephrine was increased, suggesting a possible relationship between lead exposure during earliest developmental periods, increased motor activity, and brain norepinephrine, and not brain dopamine as previously postulated.