Acute combined exposure to heavy metals (Zn, Cd) blocks memory formation in a freshwater snail
| Autor: | Ken Lukowiak, Vikram Karnik, Jovita Byzitter, Sarah Dalesman |
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| Rok vydání: | 2012 |
| Předmět: |
Memory
Long-Term Sensory Receptor Cells Health Toxicology and Mutagenesis chemistry.chemical_element Osphradium Fresh Water Lymnaea stagnalis Snail Management Monitoring Policy and Law Toxicology medicine.disease_cause Freshwater snail biology.animal Peripheral Nervous System Respiration Toxicity Tests Acute medicine Animals Ecotoxicology Neurons Afferent Lymnaea Cadmium Behavior Animal biology Animal Structures General Medicine biology.organism_classification Chemoreceptor Cells Zinc chemistry Environmental chemistry Zinc toxicity Conditioning Operant Locomotion Water Pollutants Chemical |
| Zdroj: | Ecotoxicology. 21:860-868 |
| ISSN: | 1573-3017 0963-9292 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10646-011-0847-2 |
| Popis: | The effect of heavy metals on species survival is well documented; however, sublethal effects on behaviour and physiology are receiving growing attention. Measurements of changes in activity and respiration are more sensitive to pollutants, and therefore a better early indicator of potentially harmful ecological impacts. We assessed the effect of acute exposure (48 h) to two heavy metals at concentrations below those allowable in municipal drinking water (Zn: 1,100 μg/l; Cd: 3 μg/l) on locomotion and respiration using the freshwater snail, Lymnaea stagnalis. In addition we used a novel assessment method, testing the ability of the snail to form memory in the presence of heavy metals in both intact snails, and also snails that had the osphradial nerve severed which connects a chemosensory organ, the osphradium, to the central nervous system. Aerial respiration and locomotion remained unchanged by acute exposure to heavy metals. There was also no effect on memory formation of these metals when administered alone. However, when snails were exposed to these metals in combination memory formation was blocked. Severing the osphradial nerve prevented the memory blocking effect of Zn and Cd, indicating that the snails are sensing these metals in their environment via the osphradium and responding to them as a stressor. Therefore, assessing the ability of this species to form memory is a more sensitive measure of heavy metal pollution than measures of activity, and indicates that the snails' ability to demonstrate behavioural plasticity may be compromised by the presence of these pollutants. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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