EXPLORATORY STUDIES OF A RODENT MODEL FOR INHALANT ABUSE

  • 1 January 1985
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 7  (2) , 143-148
Abstract
For simulation of inhalant abuse exposure conditions, male and female rats were exposed to high concentrations (10,000-30,000 ppm) toluene vapor until unconscious (8-12 min periods). Sex differences were observed in the mean times to onset of sleep during exposure: linear regression lines of min to sleep onset as a function of toluene/kg body wt had slopes of -0.7492 for males and -0.4515 for females. Animals were removed from the exposure chamber to clear air and both spontaneous horizontal locomotor activity (2/3 animals) and ppm toluene in exhaled air (1/3 animals) were monitored for the 1st h post-exposure. Animals regained consciousness within the first 6-7 min and consistently displayed a characteristic pattern of locomotor activity: activity increased initially to 2-3 times baseline level (1 h preceding exposure) and remained elevated for .apprx. 10 min; activity then decreased to baseline range for a time before a period of inactivity and/or sleep by 60 min postexposure. Immediately after regaining consciousness the concentration of toluene exhaled decreased rapidly for the first 10 min, somewhat less rapidly for the next 10-20 min and leveled off at 100-200 ppm for the following 30-40 min. The occurrence and duration of hyperactivity coincided with the period of rapid elimination of unchanged toluene through the lungs.

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