Alterations in the behavior of young and adult rats exposed to aldrin during lactation.

The effects of the administration of aldrin, an organochlorinated pesticide, during the period of lactation were studied on behavior of the litters. The general activity of the young and adult animals was tested in an open-field. In both situations, activity was higher in experimental than in control rats. Experimental animals also showed a higher performance in a hole-board apparatus and in the shuttle-box of two-way active avoidance learning. The results suggest that the insecticide is involved in alterations occurring in the nervous/endocrine systems of the newborn.