Short- and long-term effects of chronic toluene exposure on recognition memory in adolescent and adult male Wistar rats.

Abuse of toluene-containing volatile inhalants, particularly among youth, is of significant medical and social concern worldwide. Teenagers constitute the most abundant users of toluene and the majority of adult abusers of toluene started as teenagers. Although the euphoric and neurotoxic effects of acute toluene have been widely studied, lasting effects of chronic toluene exposure, especially in various age groups, have not been well investigated.

Effect of chronic inhalation of toluene on behavior of rats of various age groups in multi-branched maze.

The effect of a 40-day toluene inhalation on learning of young and adult rats was examined in a multi-branched maze. Experimental rats of both age groups needed more time to pass the maze and made more errors than controls. This impairment was observed in young rats immediately after termination of toluene inhalation and in adult rats immediately and 90 days after toluene.

Immediate and persisting effect of toluene chronic exposure on hippocampal cell loss in adolescent and adult rats.

Abuse of toluene-containing volatile inhalants has become widespread among adolescents. Besides, because toluene is usually used as an industrial solvent in manufacturing of chemical pharmaceuticals and multiple commonly used household and commercial products, it has high potential for abuse for adults also. Long-term exposure to toluene vapor has a severe impact on the central nervous system, resulting in numerous neurological, neurobiological and behavioral impairments.

Kindling-induced hippocampal cell death in rats.

Quantitative analysis of the main cells and interneurons in different layers and fields of Ammon's horn, the hilus, and dentate gyrus was performed two weeks and one month after kindling, i.e., specific electrical stimulation of the ventral hippocampus.

[Hippocampal cell loss in rats as a result of kindling].

Quantitative analysis was performed to evaluate the numbers of principal cells cells and interneurons in differenet layers and areas of the horn of Ammonis, hilus and dentate gyrus 2 weeks and 1 month after kindling--specific electrical stimulation of ventral hippocampus. After both experimental time intervals, a significant cell loss was found in all the layers and areas studied, with the exception of stratum oriens of CA4. Thus, in this model of experimental epilepsy, both interneurons and principal cells were found to be involved in the process of epileptogenesis.