Verification of the causal relationship between subchronic exposures to dinotefuran and depression-related phenotype in juvenile mice

J Vet Med Sci. 2018 Apr 27;80(4):720-724. doi: 10.1292/jvms.18-0022. Epub 2018 Mar 8.

Abstract

It has been suggested that an increase in the use of pesticides affects neurodevelopment, but there has been no animal experiment showing a causal relation between neonicotinoid pesticides (NNs) and depression. We examined whether dinotefuran (DIN), the most widely used NN in Japan, induces depression. Male mice were administered DIN between 3 and 8 weeks of age, referring to the no-observed-effect level (NOEL). The mice were then subjected to a tail suspension test (TST) and a forced swimming test (FST). After these tests, their brains were dissected for immunohistochemical analyses of serotonin (5-HT). Antidepressant activity in TST and no decrease in 5-HT-positive cells were observed. The subchronic exposure to DIN alone in juvenile male mice may not cause depression-like indication.

Keywords: behavioral test; depression; neonicotinoid; pesticide; serotonin.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain Chemistry / drug effects
  • Depression / chemically induced*
  • Guanidines / administration & dosage
  • Guanidines / adverse effects*
  • Hindlimb Suspension / veterinary
  • Insecticides / adverse effects*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Neonicotinoids / administration & dosage
  • Neonicotinoids / adverse effects*
  • Nitro Compounds / administration & dosage
  • Nitro Compounds / adverse effects*
  • Serotonin / analysis

Substances

  • Guanidines
  • Insecticides
  • Neonicotinoids
  • Nitro Compounds
  • dinotefuran
  • Serotonin