ABSTRACT
Formaldehyde is a common environmental pollutant with toxic effects and coming mainly from occupational exposure. This study was done to simulate occupational exposure to formaldehyde vapor and study its cerebellar neurotoxicity and the protective role of fatty acids from omega-3 and wheat germ oil. Thirty adult albino rats were divided into three groups were used in the study. Group I (control) was not exposed to any treatment, Group II (experimental) was exposed to formaldehyde vapor and Group III (recovery) was exposed to formaldehyde vapor and given omega-3 and wheat germ oil supplement during exposure. Biochemical and histopathological examinations were done. Biochemical results revealed cerebellar levels were reduced for superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase and elevated for malondialdehyde. Histopathological examination revealed the three layers of the cerebellar cortex especially Purkinje layer were affected by formaldehyde inhalation. The following proteins all showed increased expression, i.e. Glial fibrillary acidic protein, inducible nitric oxide synthetase and BCl-2-associated X protein using immunohistochemical staining. Administration of an omega-3 and wheat germ oil fatty acid supplement during formaldehyde exposure produced partial improvement of the biochemical and histopathological results. Our findings indicated that formaldehyde vapor inhalation induced cerebellar neurotoxicity mainly caused by oxidative stress which could be improved by administration omega 3 and wheat germ fatty acids.