Biomaterial Database

Long-term effects of chronic postnatal lead exposure on delayed spatial alternation in monkeys. 1988

E D Levin, and R E Bowman

Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles 90024.

Two cohorts of monkeys chronically exposed to lead during the first year after birth and their controls were tested during adulthood for choice accuracy on a learning and memory task, delayed spatial alternation (DSA). Neither cohort showed significant lead-related deficits, as had been seen in a previous experiment with monkeys exposed to similar chronic levels of lead during the first year with an additional high pulse given five-six weeks after birth (18,19). On the contrary, the lead-exposed monkeys in the present experiment actually performed slightly better than controls. In the previous (pulse-chronic) study, the deficit occurred at short intertrial delays, suggesting an attentional rather than mnenomic deficit. A lead-induced decrease in attentiveness could also explain the present results. The lower level lead intoxication may have decreased attentiveness to a lesser degree, so that the monkeys were less susceptible to irrelevant stimuli and performed better.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007855	Lead Poisoning	Poisoning that results from chronic or acute ingestion, injection, inhalation, or skin absorption of LEAD or lead compounds.	Poisoning, Lead,Lead Poisonings,Poisonings, Lead
D007858	Learning	Relatively permanent change in behavior that is the result of past experience or practice. The concept includes the acquisition of knowledge.	Phenomenography
D008253	Macaca mulatta	A species of the genus MACACA inhabiting India, China, and other parts of Asia. The species is used extensively in biomedical research and adapts very well to living with humans.	Chinese Rhesus Macaques,Macaca mulatta lasiota,Monkey, Rhesus,Rhesus Monkey,Rhesus Macaque,Chinese Rhesus Macaque,Macaca mulatta lasiotas,Macaque, Rhesus,Rhesus Macaque, Chinese,Rhesus Macaques,Rhesus Macaques, Chinese,Rhesus Monkeys
D012016	Reference Values	The range or frequency distribution of a measurement in a population (of organisms, organs or things) that has not been selected for the presence of disease or abnormality.	Normal Range,Normal Values,Reference Ranges,Normal Ranges,Normal Value,Range, Normal,Range, Reference,Ranges, Normal,Ranges, Reference,Reference Range,Reference Value,Value, Normal,Value, Reference,Values, Normal,Values, Reference
D003216	Conditioning, Operant	Learning situations in which the sequence responses of the subject are instrumental in producing reinforcement. When the correct response occurs, which involves the selection from among a repertoire of responses, the subject is immediately reinforced.	Instrumental Learning,Learning, Instrumental,Operant Conditioning,Conditionings, Operant,Instrumental Learnings,Learnings, Instrumental,Operant Conditionings
D005518	Food Preferences	The selection of one food over another.	Food Selection,Food Preference,Food Selections,Preference, Food,Preferences, Food,Selection, Food,Selections, Food
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012201	Reward	An object or a situation that can serve to reinforce a response, to satisfy a motive, or to afford pleasure.	Rewards