Impact of Chronic Oral Administration of Silver Nanoparticles on Cognitive Abilities of Mice

Abstract

To assess the effect of silver nanoparticles on mice cognitive abilities, daily, up to 4-month period, experimental mice were administrated with silver nanoparticles solution. Accumulation of silver in brain was assessed by neutron activation analysis. Cognitive abilities in mice before and after silver nanoparticles administration were evaluated in the Morris water maze behavioral test. No significant differences in the amounts of silver accumulated in brain were found between capable and incapable animals. Silver accumulation in brain of experimental animals in 4-months experiment was higher than in 2-months experiment for both groups. In the main Morris water maze behavioral test at the control points of 2 and 4 months no statistically significant differences were found in the parameters of treks between experimental and control animals