Efeitos no comportamento motor após intoxicação subcrônica de metilmercúrio na presença de etanol (padrão binge) em ratas adolescentes à fase adulta

Abstract

Exposure to methylmercury through the contaminated seafood diet, concomitant abusive alcohol intake, in binge pattern, is quite common in gold mining communities of gold extraction, especially in the Amazon. The association between these two neurotoxicantes is also evident among adolescent women and creates the need to understand its effects on the central nervous system, especially in motor coordination, balance and spontaneous locomotion, because the studies are advanced only for the effects of exposure in isolation. Therefore this study aims to evaluate the effects on motor behavior resulting of subchronic exposure to methylmercury in the presence of alcohol, in binge pattern, in adolescents female rats until early adulthood (37-72 postnatal day), through behavioral motors tests, like Open Field, Pole Test, Rotarod and Beam Walking Test. The testing occurred 24 hours after the last intoxication of rats, which received methylmercury (0.04 mg / kg / day) for 35 days, concomitant with alcohol (3g / kg / day), 3 intermittent days, 1 time per week (binge), totaling 5 binges. The results showed a decrease in spontaneous locomotion in Open Field test through the parameters of the total distance traveled and number of rearing. In the Pole test was increased fall time, evidencing the bradykinesia. In the Rotarod there was a decrease in latency in the first three exhibitions, as well as Beam Walking Test was increased latency and number of slips, especially in thinner beams, showing that subchronic exposure to methylmercury in the presence of alcohol, in the binge, in adolescent female rats was able to produce behavioral damages related to coordinating motor, balance and spontaneous locomotor activity.