Chronic exposure to low-level lead impairs learning ability during aging and energy metabolism in aged rat brain

The neurotoxic effect of chronic exposure to low-level lead (Pb) with advancing age is becoming an important social issue of public health. To examine the effects of low-level Pb treatment on behavior, cognition and brain energy metabolism in aging, we administered 200 ppm Pb acetate to adult (10-month-old) male Wistar rats for 12.5 months. After 12.5 months’ exposure, the mean Pb levels in blood and brain had increased to 17.5 μg/dl and 0.07 μg/g, respectively, and the rats showed impaired learning and memory functions in a holeboard spatial memory test. No significant difference was found between experimental and control groups in locomotor activity and passive avoidance tests. By HPLC analysis of energy-rich phosphate concentrations, mild abnormalities were found in parietotemporal cortex and hippocampus, but only the 4.4% decrease of ATP in the parietotemporal cortex was statistically significant. These results suggest that chronic exposure to Pb during aging stage may selectively impair learning and memory functions and may cause slight cerebral energy impairment.