Sublethal effects of lead acetate on the Y-maze performance of albino mice (Mus musculus L.)

Abstract

To determine if lead exposure could impair learning ability, the swimming performance of albino mice in a double Y maze was studied after 2 weeks of treatment with a 10-mg/ml drinking solution of lead acetate. This dose was sublethal and although it depressed weight gain, no overt symptoms of toxicity were observed. Lead-treated mice swam the maze significantly slower than the controls, and 40% of these animals were unable to perform to criterion, apparently because of a lead-induced impairment of locomotor ability. The lead-treated animals which did reach criterion required slightly more trials to do so than the controls, and they made significantly more errors. This finding suggests that the lead may have interfered with learning per se, in addition to causing a motor disability.