Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Site Tools

  • AAAS
  • Subscribe
  • Feedback

Site Search

Search Advanced

Science 8 March 1946:
Vol. 103. no. 2671, pp. 304 - 306
DOI: 10.1126/science.103.2671.304
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Articles

The Site of Action of DDT in the Cockroach

KENNETH D. ROEDER 1 and ELIZABETH A. WEIANT 1

1 Department of Biology, Tufts College

(1) Although DDT undoubtedly affects motor nerves and muscle fibers in concentrations greater than 1,000 ppm, this action cannot be directly responsible for the clonic tremors in the DDT-poisoned cockroach which can be produced by internal concentrations of the order of 5 ppm.

(2) DDT has no significant action on the cockroach central nervous system.

(3) DDT emulsion perfused through the leg of the cockroach in concentrations as low as 0.01 ppm causes the appearance of a series of high frequency trains of axon spikes in the afferent fibers.

(4) It is concluded that the tremors characteristic of DDT poisoning are due to an intense afferent bombardment of the motor neurons.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
DDT: A New Hypothesis of Its Mode of Action.
R. D. O'Brien and F. Matsumura (1964)
Science 146, 657-658
   Abstract »    PDF »
The Presence of Toxins other than DDT in the Blood of DDT-poisoned Roaches.
J. Sternburg and C. W. Kearns (1952)
Science 116, 144-147
   PDF »
The Action of Ryanodine on the Contractile Process in Striated Muscle.
G. A. EDWARDS, E. A. WEIANT, A. G. SLOCOMBE, and K. D. ROEDER (1948)
Science 108, 330-332
   PDF »
Fine-tapered Silver Electrodes for Physiological Work.
K. D. ROEDER (1946)
Science 104, 425-426
   PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)