Background: Few studies were found on the neurobehavioral toxicity of dinotefuran in mammals. This study was designed to evaluate the reproductive and neurobehavioral effects of maternal exposure to dinotefuran in mice.
Methods: Dinotefuran was given in the diet at levels of 0% (control), 0.012% (18.2-50.6 mg/kg body weight [bw]/day), 0.03% (44.2-125.8 mg/kg bw/day), and 0.075% (111.3-311.0 mg/kg bw/day) in females (10/group) during the gestation (gestation day 1-5 to 15-19) and lactation periods (lactation day 0 to 24-28). Selected reproductive and neurobehavioral parameters were measured in the F1 generation.
Results: Litter size and litter weight significantly increased in the high-dose group. The average body weight of male and female offspring increased in treatment groups at postnatal day (PND) 21. In female offspring, surface righting on PND 4 was delayed in higher-dose groups. Cliff avoidance on PND 7 was delayed in a dose-related trend. The route of olfactory orientation on PND 14 was delayed in the high-dose group. For exploratory behavior of the F1 generation, the frequencies of mice with urination increased in a dose-related trend in male offspring. In female offspring, the related variables of rearing increased in dose-related manners. The average rearing time lengthened and the number of defecations increased in the high-dose group in adult males. In adult females, the rearing time shortened in the high-dose group. Several variables differed in the high-dose group for spontaneous behavior in adult females.
Conclusions: The dose levels of dinotefuran produced several adverse effects on neurobehavioral parameters in mice.
Keywords: behavioral development; dinotefuran; exploratory behavior; mice; movement activity; neonicotinoid insecticide; reproductive toxicity; spontaneous behavior.
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