Abstract
Piglets were given 10 repeated doses of the orga-nophosphorus compound trichlorfon during the postnatal period in order to examine the effect on the brain development (Experiment 1). Following prenatal exposure to trichlorfon, the ability of a presumptive hypoplastic cerebellum and cerebrum at birth, to regenerate postnatally was investigated (Experiment 2).
Administration of repeated doses of trichlorfon postnatally was accompanied by only small changes in brain weights, morphology and transmitter enzyme activity (choline acetyltransferase, glutamate decarboxylase, aromatic amino acid decarboxylase) in 35 days old piglets. Animals exposed prenatally, and sacrificed at the age of 35 days, showed a significant increase in brain weights and enzyme activities. The animals did, however, not reach control values in cerebral weight, cerebellar weight or total enzyme activities. Morphological changes still showed regional loss of Purkinje cells in the cerebellum. The study clearly indicated that the pig brain was less vulnerable to trichlorfon in the postnatal period of development than when exposed to the compound prenatally.
Sammendrag
Spedgriser ble gitt 10 gjentatte doser med organofosfatet triklorfon postnatalt for å undersøke effekten på hjernens utvikling (Eksperiment 1). Etter prenatal administrasjon av triklorfon ble regenerasjonsevnen til en presumptiv hypoplastisk cerebellum og cerebrum undersøkt postnatalt (Eksperiment 2).
Administrasjon av triklorfon postnatalt resulterte utelukkende i små forandringer i hjernevekter, morfologi og transmitter enzymaktiviteter (kolin acetyltransferase, glutamat dekarboksylase, aromatisk aminosyre dekarboksylase) hos 35 dager gamle grisunger. Dyr som ble eksponert prenatalt, men ikke postnatalt, viste en signifikant økning i hjernevektene og enzymaktivitetene 35 dager post partum. Kontrollverdiene av cerebrumvekter, cerebellumvekter og totale enzymaktiviteter ble imidlertid ikke oppnådd hos disse dyrene. Stedvis tap av Purkinjeceller i cerebellum ble fremdeles observert.
Undersøkelsen viste at hjernen hos gris er lite sårbar overfor triklorfon i den postnatale periode av utviklingen sammenlignet med prenatalt.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Albers R W, Brady R O: The distribution of glutamate decarboxylase in the nervous system of the rhesus monkey. J. biol. Chem. 1959,234, 926–928.
Berge G Ν, Fonnum F, Brodai Ρ: Neurotoxic effects of prenatal trichlorfon administration in pigs. Acta vet. scand. 1987,28, 321–332.
Broch O J, Fonnum F: The regional and subcellular distribution of catechol-O-methyl-transferase in the rat brain. J. Neurochem. 1972,19, 2049–2055.
Belske G, Kronevi T, Lindgren NO: Congenital tremor in pigs in Sweden. Nord-Vet-Med. 1978,30, 534–537.
Davison A N, Dobbing J: Myelination as a vulnerable period in brain development. Brit.med. Bull. 1966,22, 40–44.
Dickerson JWT, Dobbing J: Prenatal and postnatal growth and development of the central nervous system of the pig. Proc.Roy.Soc.B. 1967,166, 384–395.
Dobbing J: Vulnerable periods of brain development. In: CIBA Foundation Symposia. Lipids, Malnutrition & the Developing Brain. Elsevier, Amsterdam 1972, p. 9–20.
Fatzer R, Häni H, Scholl E: Kongenitaler Tremor und zerebelläre Hypoplasie bei Ferkeln nach Be-handlung der Mutterschweine mit Neguvon® wâhrend der Trächtigkeit. (Congenital tremor and cerebellar hypoplasia in piglets after treatment of sows with Neguvon® during pregnancy). Schweiz-Arch-Tierheilk. 1981,123, 29–36.
Fonnum F: A rapid radiochemical method for the determination of choline acetyltransferase. J.Neurochem. 1975,25, 407–409.
Fonnum F, Walaas I, Iversen E: Localization of GABAergic, cholinergic and aminergic structures on the mesolimbic system. J.Neurochem. 1977,29, 221–230.
Gamlem HN, Lund A, Moen J H, Berge G Ν: Kon-genital tremor og cerebellum-hypoplasi hos sped-griser som en mulig følge av Neguvon®-behand-ling av drektige purker. (Congenital tremor and cerebellar hypoplasia in piglets associated with trichlorfon-treatment of pregnant sows). II. En kasuistisk meddelelse. Norsk Vet.tidsskr. 1983,6, 385–387.
Knox B, Askaa J, Basse A, Bitsch V, Eskildsen M, Mandrup M, Ottosen HE, Øverby E, Pedersen KB, Rasmussen F: Congenital ataxia and tremor with cerebellar hypoplasia in piglets born by sows treated with Neguvon® vet. during pregnancy. Nord-Vet.-Med. 1978,30, 538–545.
Kronevi T: Kan Neguvon®-behandling av dräktige suggor orsaka cerebellar hypoplasi hos gris? (Can Neguvon®-treatment of pregnant sows cause cerebellar hypoplasia in piglets?) Svensk Vet.-tidn. 1917,29, 931–932.
Kronevi T, Bäckstrom L: Kongenital tremor (skak-sjuke) hos gris (Congenital tremor in piglets). Svensk Vet.-tidn. 1977,29, 837–841.
Kronevi T, Lindquist J O: Mera om kongenital tremor (skaksjuke) hos gris. (More about congenital tremor in pigs. Case report). Svensk Vet.-tidn. 1978,50, 415–416.
Sterri S H, Fonnum F: Isolation of organic anions by extraction with liquid anion exchangers and its application to micromethods for acethylcholine-sterase and 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase. Eur.J.Biochem. 1978,91, 215–222.
Acknowledgment
The authors wish to express their sincere thanks to professor Per Brodai for useful help with the histological examination and to professor Inger Nafstad for professional assistance, valuable advice and comments.
This work was supported by grants from the Norwegian Agricultural Research Council.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Berge, G.N., Fonnum, F., Søli, N.E. et al. Neurotoxicological Examination of the Piglet Brain after Prenatal and Postnatal Exposure to Trichlorfon. Acta Vet Scand 28, 313–320 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03548599
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03548599