A promising indicator of neurobehavioral toxicity using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and computer tracking

Details

• Personal Author:
  Dusenbery DB ; Williams PL
• Description:
  Results of an evaluation of the use of the nematode, Caenorhabditis- elegans, and a computer tracking system as a potential neurobehavioral toxicity screening test were provided. Six substances were chosen for testing: four known human neurotoxins including mercury (7439976), lead (7439921), malathion (121755), and vapona (62737) and two chemicals not believed to be neurotoxins, copper (7440508) and beryllium (7440417). The animals were viewed in dark field illumination by a video camera interfaced directly to a microcomputer. Several hundred nematodes were tracked simultaneously and rates of locomotion and frequency of change of direction were reported in real time. The system was able to rapidly obtain reliable data on a variety of behavioral parameters relating to locomotion and response to sensory stimulation. The results indicated that the rate of movement of exposed nematodes compared to the rate of movement of vehicle controls may prove to be useful as an indicator of neurotoxicity. With all six chemicals it was noted that once the exposure concentration reached levels causing significant lethality, movement and survival decreased more or less in parallel. For neurotoxicity to be demonstrated by a substance, a behavioral change must be observed at a concentration below the lethal range for the particular chemical. The authors postulate that the more specifically neurotoxic a chemical is, the greater the difference in concentration between the two types of effects. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Agriculture Insecticides Lead Lead Poisoning Mercury Metals Metals, Heavy Nervous System Nervous System Diseases Occupational Health Organophosphates Poisoning Safety

  More +
• Keywords:
  Agricultural-chemicals Heavy-metal-poisoning Lead-poisoning Mercury-poisoning Nervous-system-disorders Neuropathology Neurotoxic-effects Neurotoxicity NIOSH-Grant NIOSH-Publication Organo-phosphorus-compounds Organo-phosphorus-pesticides

  More +
• ISSN:
  0748-2337
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Georgia ; OSHA Region 4
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  425-440
• Volume:
  6
• Issue:
  3
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00197852
• Citation:
  Toxicol Ind Health 1990 May; 6(3-4):425-440
• CAS Registry Number:
  Beryllium (CAS RN 7440-41-7) ; Copper (CAS RN 7440-50-8) ; Dichlorvos (CAS RN 62-73-7) ; Lead (CAS RN 7439-92-1) ; Malathion (CAS RN 121-75-5) ; Mercury (CAS RN 7439-97-6)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1990
• NORA Priority Area:
  Neurotoxic Disorders ; Neurotoxic Effects
• Performing Organization:
  School of Biology Georgia Inst of Technology Atlanta, GA 30332
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  19850601
• Source Full Name:
  Toxicology and Industrial Health
• End Date:
  19870531
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:93aa45294f90a5fabc4bba47245013f1b3239935713a09de6af61cf718a600b84a51d8be05c727ca3d16a34ccbe8e8a994be0654316bea590af5a74e1c505c7c
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/204035/cdc_204035_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.47 MB ]