Lead intoxication: Histological and oxidative damage in rat cerebrum and cerebellum

The present experiment was designed to study the neurotoxic consequences of lead exposure on antioxidant enzymes like glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, super oxide dismustase, and catalase along with structural changes both in cerebrum as well as cerebellum. Lead was administrated orally in the doses of 50 mg/kg for a period of 8 weeks and study was performed at the end of exposure. Decrease in the concentration of all the antioxidant enzymes was observed, and after lead treatment, transverse sections of cerebrum showed degeneration of neurons. Disruption of normal arrangement of cell layers was seen. Cells were bigger in size with large vascular spaces around them. Lead treatment for 8 weeks also was enough to disrupt the normal arrangement of cellular layer of cerebellum. Large spaces in between purkinje cell layer and granular layer were seen. J. Trace Elem. Exp. Med. 17:45–53, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.