The primary purpose of this project is to examine the sensory and cognitive effects of prenatal exposure to methanol, an alternative motor fuel being tested for future use in the United States. During the past year we have begun evaluating the effects of prenatal exposure to methanol in macaque monkeys during the period of adolescence and young adulthood. Previous work in our laboratory has provided the only available information on fetal neurotoxicity and infant development in monkeys exposed to methanol. The tests selected for inclusion on this project are primarily based on the results obtained from the infancy studies and the well-established sensitivity of the visual system to methanol exposure. In the last six months we began measures to evaluate the physical growth and sexual maturation of both methanol-exposed and control monkeys. These measures include anthropometric measurements, weekly weights, daily observations of menses, and weekly observations for tes tes descent. We focused much of our energy on the development of both software and hardware to support the behavioral testing procedures. We have also trained all monkeys on the project to voluntarily enter a restraining chair for operant testing of reaction time, vision, and memory. All animals are now chair-trained and testing on the first behavioral test, complex reaction time, has begun. FUNDING NIH grants RR00166, ES03745, ES07033, and ES06673.
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