Impact of forest fire smoke on the state of the central nervous system of rats

Abstract

Introduction. The adverse negative effect of forest fire smoke on human health represents a unique interdisciplinary challenge to the scientific community. The influence of forest fire smoke on locomotor activity, cognitive indices, and brain bioelectrical activity parameters in exposed rats is presented. Materials and methods. Experimental studies were carried out on outbred white male rats. The animals of the experimental group were exposed to smoke inhalation forest fire for one day. Immediately after the end of the exposure, the animals were examined, including testing in an open field and Morris water maze, as well as an electroencephalographic examination. Results. At twenty-four-hour exposure to wildfire smoke in the model, conditions showed increasing motor and research activity of male rats against the backdrop of growing anxiety. Disorders of indicators of spatial memory and navigation learning were not revealed. On the encephalogram of the exposed animals, in comparison with the control group, the δ-rhythm range predominated, more pronounced in the leads of the right hemisphere. A decrease in the power spectrum and the average amplitude β1-rhythm, as well as a tendency to decrease the average amplitude of θ-rhythm, were revealed. The indices of the primary EEG rhythms did not have statistically significant differences when compared with the control group. Conclusion. The results showed that forest fire smoke leads to changes in the bioelectric activity of brain structures and dysregulation of individual behaviour in animals, all of which may indicate the formation of increased levels of stressing beyond physiological adaptation.