EFFECTS OF VANADIUM ON ACTIVITY AND LEARNING IN RATS

The effects of vanadate administration on activity and learning were a ssessed in rats. Four groups of adult male rats were given by gavage 0 , 4.1, 8.2, and 16.4 mg/kg/day of sodium metavanadate for eight consec utive weeks. Three weeks after the cessation of the treatment, general motor activity of all animals was measured in an open-field. Rats wer e also rested for two-way shock avoidance learning in an automatic ref lex conditioner. At the end of the testing period, rats were killed an d vanadium concentration was determined in a number of tissues. Vanadi um exposure caused an observable but not significant effect on body we ight gain, while a persistent presence of vanadium was observed in all tissues measured. The results of the behavioral testing show that ora l vanadate administration resulted in significant reductions in both g eneral activity and learning. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.