{
  "abstract": "Methyl bromide (MB) is a fumigant pesticide that remains in use for quarantine and pre-shipment applications. Although acute intoxication is associated with motor dysfunction, the effects of repeated occupational inhalation exposure on neuromuscular structures remain poorly characterized. This study evaluated functional and anatomical consequences of repeated MB inhalation exposure in adult male Sprague–Dawley rats. Animals were exposed to either clean air or 300 ppm MB by nose-only inhalation for 2 hours a day, 5 days a week, over 4 weeks. Neurobehavioral assessments included functional observation battery testing, gait analysis, rotarod performance, and open-field locomotor activity. Lumbar spinal cord and hindlimb skeletal muscles were analyzed using quantitative confocal microscopy to assess motoneuron soma morphology, astrocyte reactivity, and neuromuscular junction (NMJ) structure. Repeated MB exposure did not produce overt clinical toxicity, body weight loss, or measurable impairments in gait, motor coordination, or spontaneous locomotor activity. No differences in lumbar motoneuron number or spinal astrocyte reactivity were detected between groups. However, MB exposure selectively reduced soma cross-sectional areas of the largest lumbar motoneurons. In parallel, NMJs within the predominantly fast-twitch extensor digitorum longus muscle exhibited increased denervation and decreased postsynaptic nicotinic acetylcholine receptor occupancy relative to controls. These alterations were not observed in the predominantly slow-twitch soleus muscle. These findings demonstrate that repeated subacute MB exposure can induce subtle peripheral neuromuscular pathology in the absence of overt behavioral dysfunction. Furthermore, these findings suggest that distal motor terminals and associated synaptic structures may represent selective and early targets of MB neurotoxicity. Collectively, the results support the concept that repeated occupational-like MB exposure may produce subclinical peripheral motor system injury prior to the onset of detectable functional impairment.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Naval Medical Research Unit Dayton, Environmental Health Effects Laboratory, Wright-Patterson A.F.B., Dayton, Ohio, United States of America",
    "Leidos Inc, Reston, Virginia, United States of America",
    "Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology, & Physiology, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, United States of America",
    "Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, Tennessee, United States of America"
  ],
  "article_type": "Research Article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 4,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Dakota R. McMeans"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Hannah S. Davidson"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Martha J. Sonner"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Shannon H. Romer"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bevz0e36a3znz.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1371/journal.pone.0357385",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "bevz0e36a3znz",
  "issns": [
    "1932-6203"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0357385",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "1110|Pesticide Exposure and Toxicity"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Anatomy/Musculoskeletal system/Muscles/Skeletal muscles"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Anatomy/Nervous system/Neuroanatomy/Spinal cord"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Anatomy/Nervous system/Synapses/Neuromuscular junctions"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Biochemistry/Proteins/Transmembrane receptors/Acetylcholine receptors/Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Signal transduction/Transmembrane receptors/Acetylcholine receptors/Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors"
    ],
    [
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      "/Biology and life sciences/Neuroscience/Cognitive science/Cognitive psychology/Perception/Sensory perception"
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    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Neuroscience/Neuroanatomy/Spinal cord"
    ],
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      "/Biology and life sciences/Neuroscience/Neurophysiology/Synapses/Neuromuscular junctions"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Neuroscience/Sensory perception"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Physiology/Electrophysiology/Neurophysiology/Synapses/Neuromuscular junctions"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Physiology/Physiological processes/Respiration/Inhalation"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Psychology/Cognitive psychology/Perception/Sensory perception"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Toxicology/Toxicity"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Anatomy/Musculoskeletal system/Muscles/Skeletal muscles"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Anatomy/Nervous system/Neuroanatomy/Spinal cord"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Anatomy/Nervous system/Synapses/Neuromuscular junctions"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Pathology and laboratory medicine/Toxicology/Toxicity"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Physical sciences/Chemistry/Chemical compounds/Bromides"
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    [
      "plos",
      "/Social sciences/Psychology/Cognitive psychology/Perception/Sensory perception"
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  "openalex": "W7204810849",
  "pdf_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0357385&type=printable",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-08-31",
  "publisher": "Public Library of Science",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bevz0e36a3znz.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:02Z",
      "native_id": "10.1371/journal.pone.0357385",
      "source": "plos",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0357385"
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  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "plos:neuroscience",
      "subfield": "neuroscience"
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    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "plos:anatomy",
      "subfield": "physiology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Neuromuscular effects of repeated exposure to the pesticide methyl bromide",
  "title_text": "Neuromuscular effects of repeated exposure to the pesticide methyl bromide",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:18:02Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bevz0e36a3znz",
  "venue": "PLOS One",
  "versions": []
}