HOMEPRODUCTSCOMPANYCONTACTFAQResearchDictionaryPharmaSign Up FREE or Login

Rapid behavioural diagnosis of domoic acid toxicosis in California sea lions.

Abstract
Domoic acid is a neurotoxic metabolite of widely occurring algal blooms that has caused multiple marine animal stranding events. Exposure to high doses of domoic acid, a glutamate agonist, may lead to persistent medial temporal seizures and damage to the hippocampus. California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) are among the most visible and frequent mammalian victims of domoic acid poisoning, but rapid, reliable diagnosis in a clinical setting has proved difficult owing to the fast clearance of the toxin from the blood stream. Here, we show that the behavioural orienting responses of stranded sea lions diagnosed with domoic acid toxicosis habituate more slowly to a series of non-aversive auditory stimuli than do those of sea lions with no apparent neurological deficits. A signal detection analysis based on these habituation measures was able to correctly identify 50 per cent of subjects with domoic acid toxicosis while correctly rejecting approximately 93 per cent of controls, suggesting potential diagnostic merit.
AuthorsPeter Cook, Colleen Reichmuth, Frances Gulland
JournalBiology letters (Biol Lett) Vol. 7 Issue 4 Pg. 536-8 (Aug 23 2011) ISSN: 1744-957X [Electronic] England
PMID21389016 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.)
CopyrightThis journal is © 2011 The Royal Society
Chemical References
  • domoic acid
  • Kainic Acid
Topics
  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal (drug effects)
  • Kainic Acid (analogs & derivatives, toxicity)
  • ROC Curve
  • Sea Lions (psychology)

Join CureHunter, for free Research Interface BASIC access!

Take advantage of free CureHunter research engine access to explore the best drug and treatment options for any disease. Find out why thousands of doctors, pharma researchers and patient activists around the world use CureHunter every day.
Realize the full power of the drug-disease research graph!


Choose Username:
Email:
Password:
Verify Password:
Enter Code Shown: