Lead in the Water Supply Alters Swimming-Maze Behavior in Adult Mice

Abstract

After about two weeks of exposure to either 20 ppm or approximately 2000 ppm of lead in the drinking water or tap water only and under an ad libitum or restricted food regime, albino male and female mice ( N = 48) were tested for three consecutive days (3 blocks of 3 trials per day) in a swimming maze. Body weights were not altered by lead treatments significantly. The mice treated with the lead displayed longer escape latencies and more errors than the controls on tap water. Statistically significant interactions of lead treatment by test day by test block were also apparent.