C. Comer, Stata Norton
Mar 30, 1982
Citations
0
Influential Citations
55
Citations
Quality indicators
Journal
Toxicology and applied pharmacology
Abstract
Abstract The antithyroid drug, methimazole, was investigated to assess its potential as a positive control agent in developmental behavioral studies. Methimazole was administered in drinking water to dams from the 17th gestational day to the 10th postnatal day. Methimazole treatment produced developmental delays and motor deficits in offspring tested in a behavioral battery assessing development of sensory and motor function. Acquisition of a righting response was delayed 7 days, from postnatal Day 7 in controls to Day 14 in treated rats; the appearance of the auditory startle response was delayed 6 days, from Day 12 to Day 18; the time of eye opening was delayed 2 days, from Day 15 to Day 17. A deficit, rather than a delay, was observed in body weight gain and in a reflex-suspension test of motor development. Treated rats showed decreased exploratory activity in an open field at postnatal Day 21 compared with controls. It was concluded that developmental test batteries, such as those proposed to screen for neurobehavioral toxicity, may readily detect neurotoxic damage from goitrogens. The convenience of methimazole administration in drinking water plus the efficacy of methimazole inducing developmental deficits and delays suggests this agent may be an effective positive control in developmental behavioral test batteries.