Author(s)

Majda Samih^1*, Pacôme Kouadio N’Go², Sabah Belaaouja¹, Amina Ouazzani Touhami³, Ahmed Omar Touhami Ahami¹

¹Unit of Clinic and Cognitive Neuroscience, Laboratory of Biology and Health, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, IBN TOFAIL University, Kenitra, Morocco.
²Training and Research Unit of Biology Sciences, Peleforo Gon Coulibaly University of Korhogo, Korhogo, Ivory Coast.
³Botanical and Plant Protection Unit, Laboratory of Biology and Health, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra, Morocco.

Developmental exposure to organophosphate insecticide is well known to induce neurobehavioral impairments, at late period. The present study aims to investigate the effects of subchronic exposure to Dimethoate, on locomotors skills and anxiety like behavior among wistar rat. Two groups of female’s rats are used. The intoxicated group receives daily, during five weeks, by intragastric gavage, a dose of Dimethoate dissolved in corn oil (100 mg/kg body weight). The control group receives only the corn oil. Spontaneous locomotors activity is evaluated using the Open Field test (OF) and anxiety-like behavior is measured using Elevated Plus-Maze (EPM). Dimethoate induced significant impairment of spontaneous locomotors activities, which is reflected by high decrease of number of squares crossed (SC) in OF. Females exposed to Dimethoate develop further anxiety-like response, expressed by significant reductions of the time spent in open arm of Elevated Plus-Maze.

Acetylcholinesterase Activity, Neurotoxicity, Dimethoate, Neurobehavior, Organophosphate Insecticides

Samih, M. , N’Go, P. , Belaaouja, S. , Touhami, A. and Ahami, A. (2017) Effects of Dimethoate Exposure on Locomotor Activity and Anxiety-Like Behavior in Female Wistar Rat. Journal of Behavioral and Brain Science, 7, 484-496. doi: 10.4236/jbbs.2017.710034.