Behavioral toxicology of acute trimethyltin exposure in the mouse.

Adult BALB/c mice were injected IP with trimethyltin . HCl (TMT), and the effects of TMT were studied on gross behavior, lethality, spontaneous motor activity (SMA), and responding under a multiple fixed-ratio 30, fixed-interval 600 sec (mult FR30 FI600) schedule of reinforcement. Following doses of 4, 5, and 6 mg/kg, the cumulative 48-hr lethality was 10% at 4 mg/kg, IP, and 100% at 5 and 6 mg/kg, IP. No deaths were observed during the first 48 hrs following 3 mg/kg TMT. This non-lethal dose produced whole body tremors. The SMA of mice receiving 3 mg/kg was reduced to 70% during the first 24-hr period following TMT and some recovery of total activity was observed during the second 24-hr period. The reduction in SMA was accompanied by a change in the normal circadian cycle of activity. Responding under the mult FR30 FI600 schedule was severely disrupted. Three hours after TMT administration and rate of responding in both components was decreased and the decrease became progressively larger over the next 48 hrs. In addition to the rate of FI600 responding being reduced, the normal pattern of FI responding was altered with an increase in responding observed in the early portions of the FI. These results suggest that the mouse is much more sensitive to the effects of TMT than the rat and may have potential as an animal model in the study of the neurotoxicity of TMT.