Date of Award
8-2004
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Dr. Lisa Baker
Second Advisor
Dr. Alan Poling
Third Advisor
Dr. Jay Means
Access Setting
Masters Thesis-Open Access
Abstract
Exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) is suspected to produce long lasting cognitive deficits in children and adults. This study assessed the effects of dietary exposure to a commercial mixture of PCBs on spatial learning and memory in Fisher 344 rats. Aroclor 1254 (0, 10, 50 ppm) was administered for 28 consecutive days in the daily diet. Seven days after the last dietary exposure, acquisition training began in an eight-arm radial maze. Following 28 days of acquisition training, "working" memory was assessed using a delayed win/shift procedure. Each delay (20 minutes, 2 hours, and 6 hours) was examined on three consecutive days. The results demonstrated that developmental dietary exposure to Aroclor 1254 impaired RAM acquisition, with little impact on performance during the delayed win/shift procedure. Specifically, animals treated with the 50 ppm dose exhibited significantly more errors during the acquisition phase than those treated with the 10 ppm dose or those in the control group. Suggestions for extensions to this research are discussed.
Recommended Citation
Paris-Larson, Danielle M., "Dietary Exposure to Aroclor 1254 Impairs Radial Arm Maze Acquisition and Performance in Rats" (2004). Masters Theses. 4560.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/4560