Evaluation of Impairment in Cognitive Function by Temporal Exposure of Arsenic and Post Exposure Recovery

Abstract

Arsenic is a metalloid reported to have carcinogenic and neurotoxic effect. The high prevalence of arsenic in water is leading to multiple health issues including neurotoxicity. This study is aimed at evaluating the effect of arsenic exposure on brain tissues specifically on hippocampus and cortex; the effect of metal consumption on higher cognitive functions i.e. learning and memory. The test subjects are exposed to arsenic in drinking water to develop model of total exposure of 932mg/kg over the time period of 20, 35, 50-days with the exposure of 188mg/kg/day, 106.4mg/kg/day and 76mg/kg/day respectively, the behavioral analysis of subjects was carried out after 20-days, 35- days, 50-days of exposure using the Y-Maze, Hole board analysis, Morris water test and social interaction test. After As exposure was over animals were given normal water for the recovery time of 20-days and again evaluated for the behavioral changes. The conclusions are impaired learning and memory of the arsenic exposed subjects with the most deficit in learning and memory of 50-day exposure and 20-day exposure group with very slight recovery of the damage in recovery period and metal leach out in both the groups, while comparatively less decline in cognitive functions of the 35-days group and better overall recovery in comparison to the 50-day exposure and 20-day exposure group.