EXPOSIÇÃO PÓS-NATAL À POLUENTES DO AR (MP≤2,5) COMO FATOR DE RISCO PARA O DESENVOLVIMENTO DE COMPORTAMENTOS DE DEPRESSÃO E ANSIEDADE: UM ESTUDO EXPERIMENTAL.

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the behavioral changes of male and female adult rats exposed to fine and ultrafine particulate matter (PM≤2,5) suspended in air pollution during development. Wistar rats aged 7 postnatal days were exposed to the chamber of an atmospheric particle concentrator. Open field tests and sucrose preference tests were performed to assess the presence of anxiety and depression behaviors. Male rats from the pollution group showed reduced locomotor activity and length of stay in the open field center when compared to the control group. The sucrose preference test showed statistical significance between the pollution and control groups (male+female), and among the males of the pollution and control group. The study concluded that exposure to PM≤2.5 causes behavioral changes characteristic of depression and anxiety in adult male rats exposed during the developmental period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]