Effects of aerosol-vapor JP-8 jet fuel on the functional observational battery, and learning and memory in the rat

To determine whether JP-8 jet fuel affects parameters of the Functional Obs ervational Battery (FOB), visual discrimination, or spatial Learning and me mory, the authors exposed groups of male Fischer Brown Norway hybrid rats f or 28 d to aerosol/vapor-delivered JP-8, or to JP-8 followed by 15 min of a erosolized substance P analogue, or to sham-confined fresh room air. Behavi oral testing was accomplished with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 's Functional Observational Battery. The authors used the Morris swim task to test visual and spatial learning and memory testing. The spatial test in cluded examination of memory for the original target location following 15 d of JP-8 exposure, as well as a 3-d new target location learning paradigm implemented the day that followed the final day of exposure. Only JP-8 expo sed animals had significant weight loss by the 2nd week of exposure compare d with JP-8 with substance P and control rats; this finding compares with t hose of prior studies of JP-8 jet fuel. Rats exposed to JP-8 with or withou t substance P exhibited significantly greater rearing and less grooming beh avior over time than did controls during Functional Observational Battery o pen-field testing. Exposed rats also swam significantly faster than control s during the new target location training and testing, thus supporting the increased activity noted during Functional Observational Battery testing. T here were no significant differences between the exposed and control groups ' performances during acquisition, retention, or learning of the new platfo rm location in either the visual discrimination or spatial version of the M orris swim task. The data suggest that although visual discrimination and s patial learning and memory were not disrupted by JP-8 exposure, arousal ind ices and activity measures were distinctly different in these animals.