Effects of neonatal exposure to paint thinner on the development of swimming in rats.

Rats were exposed to paint thinner twice a day for a period of 10 minutes on Days 1 through 30 of postnatal life. The subsequent effects upon physical development, swimming ability and escape latency from water were evaluated. Maturation of swimming behavior and general physical development were delayed about 2-4 days in the experimental animals compared with non-exposed littermate controls. The results of these experiments suggest that exposure to this organic solvent during the early postnatal period interferes with the development of the cortico-subcortical neural structures underlying swimming and locomotion.