Momentary Brain Concentration of Trichloroethylene Predicts the Effects on Rat Visual Function

The relationship between the concentration of trichloroethylene (TCE) in the brain and changes in brain function, indicated by the amplitude of steady-state pattern-elicited visual evoked potentials (VEP), was evaluated in Long-Evans rats. VEPs were recorded from visual cortex following stimulation of the eyes and, thus, reflect the function of the afferent visual pathway and, in broad terms, may be indicative of overall brain function. The concen-tration of TCE in the brain at the time of VEP testing (i.e., momentary brain concentration) was hypothesized to predict the amplitude of the VEP across a range of inhalation concentrations, both during and after exposure. Awake restrained rats were exposed to clean air or TCE in the following combinations o