MATERNAL EXPOSURE TO POLYCHLORINATED-BIPHENYLS INHIBITS LONG-TERM POTENTIATION IN THE VISUAL-CORTEX OF ADULT-RATS

Rats were exposed prenatally to the coplanar congener 3,3',4,4'-tetrac hlorobiphenyl (TCB). The amount of long-term potentiation (LTP) was me asured in slices from the visual cortex and hippocampus of the adult m ales as well as of controls. While in the cortical slices from the con trols a stable LTP could be induced, LTP was inhibited in the TCB-expo sed rats. In hippocampal slices, the amount of LTP was not significant ly different between the two groups. Our results suggest that the visu al cortex of adult animals is functionally altered by TCB if the expos ure takes place during embryonic development.