Author(s)

Majda Samih^1*, Pacôme Kouadio N’Go², Sabah Belaaouja¹, Amina Ouazzani Touhami³, Ahmed Omar Touhami Ahami¹

¹Unit of Clinic and Cognitive Neuroscience, Laboratory of Biology and Health, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra, Morocco.
²Training and Research Unit of Biology Sciences, Peleforo Gon Coulibaly University, Korhogo, Ivory Coast.
³Botanical and Plant Protection Unit, Laboratory of Biology and Health, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra, Morocco.

Pesticides were economically important chemicals in agriculture. Their use has permitted agricultural progress, through the eradication of harmful insect and the fight against vectors of disease. However, several studies question the beneficial effects of organophosphorus compounds, showing that their deregulated use causes various problems of environmental pollution and human health. The present study shows that chronic exposure to a subtoxic dose of dimethoate is likely to affect cognitive and behavioral functions of rats (both males and females). Our results show that exposure to dimethoate affects both short and long-term memory capacities. The short-term memory results are more pronounced. Treatment with nettle extract allowed a significant improvement in cognitive and behavioral performance of the rats after their exposure to dimethoate.

Dimethoate, Dioic Nettle, Acetylcholinesterase, Chelation, Memory

Samih, M. , N’Go, P. , Belaaouja, S. , Touhami, A. and Ahami, A. (2017) Effect of Dimethoate on Object Recognition Memory in Wistar Rats and Essay of Treatment with Nettle. Journal of Behavioral and Brain Science, 7, 425-445. doi: 10.4236/jbbs.2017.79031.