Chapter 9 Animal Models of Intoxication by Metal Elements: A Focus on Neurobehavioral Injuries Abdellatif Abbaoui, Lahcen Tamegart, and Halima Gamrani Abstract Well-functioning of fundamental life processes and human body required metal elements especially essential elements like copper, zinc, magnesium, etc. However, other elements are very toxic for physiological functions including lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd). Recently, cumulative investigations have interested in the role of metal elements in neurodegenerative diseases and psychiatric disorders especially anxiety and depression. Models of intoxication have been established to evaluate the neurobehavioral effects of metal element exposure via acute and chronic intoxication by metals levels in rats. This method makes available a means to recognize the association between the element level in water, diet, or serum and psychiatric dysfunctions. It allows also to assess the neurobehavioral injuries of metals in animal models and may provide a new window to understand the role metals play in the development of mood and psychiatric disorders.the role metals play in the development of mood and psychiatric disorders. Key words Metal elements, Intoxication, Neurobehavioral impairments, Rats 1 Introduction The excessive use of metal elements in many industrial, agricultural, domestic, and technological applications has enhanced the human exposure to those elements [1]. Some metals like lead, zinc, cad- mium, and arsenic and other trace elements such as copper (Cu) are toxic in the case of exposure to a significant dose (acute toxicity) and in the case of long-term exposure to small doses (accumulation in tissues and chronic toxicity). Cu is an essential trace element and ensures a key role in numerous biological and vital functions such as cell respiration, maturation of erythrocytes, antioxidant defense, neurotransmis- sion, and connective tissue biosynthesis [2, 3]. It is also a cofactor of several enzymatic cell machineries including free radical scaven- ger superoxide dismutase (Cu, Zn-SOD), dopamine monooxygen- ase, and cytochrome oxidase [2, 4]. Nevertheless, excess doses could are toxic [5–9] and appears to be involved in the Firas H. Kobeissy (ed.), Psychiatric Disorders: Methods and Protocols, Methods in Molecular Biology, vol. 2011, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-9554-7_9, © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2019 133