Effect of sub-chronic exposure to deltamethrin on spatial learning and memory in mice

Objective To study the effect of sub-chronic exposure to deltamethrin(DM) on the behavior of mice in learning and memory. Methods 60 Female SPF Kunming mice were randomly divided into 4 groups and given DM by gavaging for 60 days. Morris water maze (MWM) was used to evaluate spatial memory in mice. Results After exposure to DM, the escape latency of the solvent control group and the treatment groups were (12.20±6.5)s, (14.99±5.4)s, (15.64±8.3)s, (22.71±6.2)s on the fifth day. The escape latency of the high-dose group was higher than those of the low-dose group (P=0.0041) and the solvent control group (P=0.019) in the navigation test. The number of crossing position of the platform in the high-dose group ((2.93±1.53)times) and the middle-dose group ((3.40±1.12)times) were lower than that in the solvent control group ((5.87±1.55)times) and the low-dose group ((4.90±1.41)times)(P<0.05). Conclusion Sub-chronic exposure to DM can damage the spatial learning and memory of mice. Key words: Deltamethrin; Sub-chronic; Learning and memory; Morris water maze