Abstract: Objective To explore the neurotoxicity of aluminum-maltolate(Almal3).Methods Behavior screening on two month old Sprague Dawley(SD) male rats was carried out with Morris water maze and open-field test.After the screening,forty SD male rats were divided randomly into five groups:normal saline group,maltolate group,0.27,0.54,and 1.08 mg/kg Al(mal)₃ treated groups.The rats in the five groups received corresponding reagent of 200 μl/day via intraper-itoneal injection for two months.After the treatments,the Morris water maze test and step-down test were performed to examine learning and memory abilities of the rats.Aluminum concentration in rat neocortex was determined by graphite fur-nace atomic absorption spectrometry.Results The average escape latency of water maze test prolonged obviously and the average numbers of crossing the platform site decreased significantly in Al(mal)₃ groups(P < 0.05 for all).In step down test,the results of analysis of variance(ANOVA) showed significant differences in error count 1,latent period,and error count 2.Significant shortening of mean latency was observed in the rats of Al(mal)₃ groups compared with that of the rats in saline group and in maltolate group(P < 0.05),while error count 1 and 2 were increased significantly in Al(mal)₃ groups,with significant differences in all Al(mal)₃ groups except error count 2 in 0.27 mg/kg Al(mal)₃ groups(P < 0.05).Aluminum content in cerebral cortex in 0.27,0.54,and 1.08 mg/kg Al(mal)₃ treated groups was 43.16±1.54,58.38±3.85,and 89.20±14.45 ng/g,respectively,which were increased significantly compared with those of saline group and maltolate group(P < 0.05).Conclusion Subchronic exposure to Al(mal)₃ can damage the rat's nervous system.