Testing strategies in behavioral teratology: I. Testing battery approach.

Female rats were given drinking water containing 1.5, 5 or 15 mg/l methylmercury chloride from two weeks prior to pairing until the end of the lactation period. The usual reproduction parameters were recorded. The morphological, functional and behavioral development of the offspring was assessed by subjecting them to a routine testing battery in accordance with the English and Japanese guidelines. Due to toxic effects in the high dose group only offspring of the mid and low dose groups were tested. In both groups some motor coordination and learning deficits as well as delayed sexual maturation were noted, although effects were small and varied considerably. Results demonstrated that a routine testing battery can detect behavioral effects in the offspring at a dose where no reproduction effects are observed.