Electrophysiological Detection of the Neurotoxic Effects of Acrylamide and 2,5-Hexanedione on the Rat Sensory System

Abstract

Brain stem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP) and somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP), recorded from subcutaneously placed electrodes in anesthetized rats, were used to detect neurotoxic effects of acrylamide and 2,5-hexanedione on the sensory nervous system. Both neurotoxicants were administered for 21 days by the intraperitoneal route, using dosages of 20 mg/kg/day for acrylamide and 350 mg/kg/day for 2,5-hexanedione. Recordings were made before and 1, 2, and 3 weeks after dosing was initiated. Both food-restricted and ad libitum-fed rats served as controls. Results demonstrated that SEP waveforms generated in rats were sufficiently variable that differences among the groups were not detected. However, BAEP latencies were longer than those seen in control rats after 3 weeks of acrylamide treatment and after both 2 and 3 weeks of 2,5-hexanedione treatment. The effects of 2,5-hexanedione were more pronounced than those of acrylamide, and increased with length of the dosing period.