Cerium tissue/organ distribution and alterations in open field and exploratory behavior following acute exposure of the mouse to cerium (citrate).

Cerium chloride (1:3 complex with sodium citrate) was administered to male Swiss mice (6 to 8 weeks old) either intragastrically or subcutaneously at the 7 day LD5 or LD25 level. Open field behavior (ambulations, rearings) was quantified and tissue/organ Ce levels determined at 4 hr., 1, 3 or 7 days post administration. Via the i.g. route, Ce was poorly absorbed resulting in no observable behavioral alterations and no correlations between behavior and tissue levels. Via the s.c. route, Ce significantly (p less than 0.05) depressed ambulations and rearings, mainly at short times following administration of the LD25 dose. Analogous findings were obtained in a separate study of exploratory behavior. There was a significant (p less than 0.05) correlation between open field behavior and tissue Ce levels: thus, rearings were inversely correlated with lung, stomach, cerebrum, cerebellum and brain stem Ce levels and ambulations were inversely correlated with liver, kidney, lung, blood, stomach, intestine, muscle, cerebrum, cerebellum and brain stem levels. Spleen Ce levels and ambulations were directly correlated and it is speculated that the spleen may serve a protective function in the case of Ce intoxication.