Effect of Cadmium on Lipid Composition of the Weanling Rat Brain

Abstract

The effect of early postnatal cadmium exposure (cadmium injected at dose levels of 1 and 2 mg cadmium/kg body weight on 3rd, 10th and 17th day after birth) on various lipid fractions of the weanling rat brain was studied. The results suggest that cadmium treatment (a dose of only 2 mg Cd/kg) results in an appreciable decrease in myelin-specific lipids like nonesterified cholesterol, ethanolamine-containing lipids, cerebrosides and sulfatides leading to hypomyelination. The lower dose of cadmium (1 mg Cd/kg) did not have any significant effect.