Perinatal fenvalerate exposure: behavioral and endocrinology changes in male rats

Neurotoxicol Teratol. 1999 Sep-Oct;21(5):611-8. doi: 10.1016/s0892-0362(99)00004-5.

Abstract

The effects of maternal exposure to fenvalerate during the prenatal and postnatal periods of sexual brain differentiation were studied in adult male offspring. Behavioral (open field, stereotyped, and sexual behaviors), physical (sexual maturation, body and organ weights), endocrine (testosterone levels), and neurochemical (striatal and hypothalamic monoamine and respective metabolite levels) data were assessed. The results showed that there was no change in the age of testis descent or testis weight, nor were there changes in monoamine levels or stereotyped behavior. However, there were significant reductions in ductus deferens and seminal vesicle weights and plasma testosterone concentrations. In addition, treated offspring showed decreased male sexual behavior and increased immobility in the open field. These results indicate that perinatal exposure to fenvalerate during the critical periods of male brain sexual differentiation has long-term effects on the reproductive physiology and behavior of male rats.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal / drug effects
  • Biogenic Monoamines / metabolism
  • Body Weight / drug effects
  • Corpus Striatum / drug effects
  • Corpus Striatum / metabolism
  • Endocrine System / drug effects
  • Female
  • Hypothalamus / drug effects
  • Hypothalamus / metabolism
  • Insecticides / adverse effects*
  • Locomotion / drug effects
  • Male
  • Nitriles
  • Organ Size / drug effects
  • Pregnancy
  • Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects*
  • Prostate / growth & development
  • Pyrethrins / adverse effects*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Seminal Vesicles / growth & development
  • Sex Characteristics
  • Sexual Behavior, Animal / drug effects
  • Testosterone / blood
  • Vas Deferens / growth & development

Substances

  • Biogenic Monoamines
  • Insecticides
  • Nitriles
  • Pyrethrins
  • Testosterone
  • fenvalerate