Barnett A. Rattner 1982 <p><span>Brain cholinesterase (ChE) activity has been used extensively to monitor exposure to organophosphorus (OP) and carbamate (CB) insecticides in wild birds. A series of factorial experiments was conducted to assess the extent to which noncontaminant-related environmental conditions might affect brain ChE activity and thereby confound the diagnosis of OP and CB intoxication. Underfeeding (restricting intake to 50% of control for 21 d or fasting for 1–3 d) or exposure to elevated temperature (36 ± 1°C for 1 d) caused only slightreductions (10–17%)in brain AChE activity in adult male Japanese quail (</span><i>Coturnix coturnix japonica</i><span>). This degree of “reduction” in brain AChE activity is considerably less than the 50% “inhibition” criterion employed in the diagnosis of insecticide-induced mortality, but nevertheless approaches the 20% “inhibition” level used as a conservative estimate of sublethal exposure to a known insecticide application.</span></p> application/pdf 10.1002/etc.5620010408 en Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Diagnosis of anticholinesterase poisoning in birds: Effects of environmental temperature and underfeeding on cholinesterase activity article