Behavioral antagonism between lead and cadmium.

Adult male rats were exposed to one of four dietary conditions for a period of 60 days. Group Control-Diet received a diet containing no added lead or cadmium, group Lead-Diet received a diet that contained 500 ppm added lead, group Cadmium-Diet received a diet that contained 100 ppm added cadmium, and group Lead-Cadmium-Diet received a diet that contained both 500 ppm added lead and 100 ppm added cadmium. Subsequent to exposure, animals were tested in a Digiscan activity monitor. Animals were then sacrificed and metal concentrations were determined in blood and brain. The results from this experiment showed that lead alone increased movement and vertical activity. Cadmium alone decreased movement and increased rest time. Cotreatment with lead and cadmium failed to produce behavioral differences relative to controls; thus, it seems that the changes in activity caused by one metal are antagonized by the other. Results from the analyses of residues in tissues revealed that blood lead concentrations were lower in the cotreatment condition than the lead along condition. However, brain residue accumulations were not different for these two exposure conditions. There was no evidence that the presence of lead attenuated increases in cadmium residues in blood or brain. Overall, the residue data agree with a central, as contrasted with a peripheral, account of lead/cadmium interaction effects, at least as relates to behavior. Because lead and cadmium were additive with regard to producing decreased body weights, it seems that the toxic effect of these metals is antagonized by cotreatment in some instances, and augmented in others.