Behavioral effects of oral subacute exposure to BDE-209 in young adult mice: a preliminary study

In this study, we examined the effects of an oral subacute exposure to 2,2',3,3',4,4',5,5',6,6'-decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) on young adult inbred wild type Tg2576 mice. BDE-209 was administered by gavage at doses of 0 and 20 mg/kg/day dissolved in sunflower oil for 15 days. Two behavioral endpoints were examined: anxiety-activity in a light/dark test and a zero maze test, and learning and spatial memory in a water maze test. Young adult mice exposed to BDE-209 showed a reduction in anxiety levels and a delayed learning in a spatial memory task. Although the results indicated that behavioral effects were present in a young adult exposed population of wild type Tg2576 mice, further studies on chronic exposure to BDE-209 are clearly necessary in order to corroborate these effects.