Dose-Dependent Neurotoxic Effects of Monosodium Glutamate and its Potential Genetic Transmission in Mice

Abstract

This study aimed to preliminarily investigated the neurotoxic effects of monosodium glutamate on mice and their pups, and the potential possibility of a genetic mechanism influencing the pups. In this study, mice were given different doses of Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) at doses of 2.0 or 4.0 g/kg body weight for 10 continuous days, and its impacts on both the mice and their pups were evaluated by means of appearance assessments, morphological examination and animal behavior experiments. The results showed that high doses of MSG induced clear, dose-dependent toxic symptoms in both mice and their pups. Increasing MSG dosage resulted in greater brain injury in both mice and their pups, along with more pronounced deficits in Y-maze and water maze learning and memory, heightened central nervous system excitability, the inhibition of the exploratory and curious behaviors of the pups, and the more serious the damage to the high-altitude coordinated motor performance. These findings provide a foundation for studying the dose-dependent damage to the central nervous system in mice caused by exogenous glutamate and its potential genetic effects on pups.