Project Summary (1995-2000)

This project focuses on the developmental effects of exposure to individual polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners on rats. This is being undertaken in order to understand the mechanisms by which PCBs alter development. Neurochemical, neurobehavioral and endocrine effects of in-utero and lactational exposure of the laboratory rodent to individual coplanar, di-ortho- substituted and mono-ortho-substituted PCB congeners is correlated. These experiments determine which congeners directly affect the development of important neurotransmitter systems, and which congeners may indirectly affect brain development by altering key endocrine systems during development.