Increased brain uptake of copper and zinc in mice caused by diethyldithiocarbamate.

Mice given 64CuCl2 and 65ZnCl2 (10 mumol/kg) were treated with sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (0.5 mmol/kg). The treatment increased the brain level of radioactive copper five-fold and that of radioactive zinc three-fold. Such redistribution of metal ions may be explained from the formation of lipophilic metal chelates. The increased brain levels may involve neurotoxic effects.