Context: Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs) are used in many commercial products. However, their effects on human and animal organism remained to be clarified.
Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the effects of TiO2-NPs on the behavioural performance, monoamine neurotransmitters and oxidative stress in the rat brain.
Material and methods: Rats were injected intravenously with a single dose of TiO2-NPs (20 mg/kg body weight) and were subjected to cognitive and emotional tests using Morris water maze and elevated plus maze.
Results: Cognitive capacity as well as the emotional reactivity were significantly disrupted, in TiO2-NPs-administered rats compared to control group. These behavioural effects were correlated with changes in brain neurotransmitter contents reflected by a significant increase in dopamine and a decrease in serotonin levels. TiO2-NPs also induced oxidative stress in the brain manifested by increased levels of H2O2 and malondialdehyde, associated with antioxidant enzymes activities disturbance, in particular, superoxide dismutase and catalase activities. Moreover, TiO2-NPs administration caused histological damages in the brain tissue with abundant lymphocytic clusters, capillary dilations, vascular congestion and oedema.
Conclusions: Acute intravenous injection of TiO2-NPs impaired behaviour performances through brain biochemical and structural changes and precautions should be taken to their usage in food additive and medical applications.
Keywords: Titanium dioxide nanoparticles; emotional behaviour; memory; neurotransmitters; oxidative stress.