Neuroprotective mechanisms of selenium against arsenic-induced behavioral impairments in rats

•Influence of Se on As-induced neurotoxicity was studied in rats.•Se abrogated As-mediated impairments in neurobehavioral activities in rats.•Se inhibited As-induced oxidative injury in cerebellum, cerebrum and liver of rats.•Se abated As-mediated induction of inflammation and caspase 3 activity in rats.•Se ameliorated As-induced histological lesions in rats. Environmental pollution due to arsenic is associated with several adverse health effects including neurotoxicity in animals and humans. Selenium is a nutritionally essential trace metalloid well documented to elicit compelling pharmacological activities in vitro and in vivo. Report on the influence of selenium on arsenic-mediated behavioral derangement is lacking in literature. Hence, to fill this knowledge gap, rats were either exposed to arsenic per se in drinking water at 60 μg AsO2Na/L or co-administered with inorganic selenium at 0.25 mg/kg or organic selenium diphenyl diselenide (DPDS) at 2.5 mg/kg body weight for 45 successive days. Neurobehavioural data from rats in a new environment using video-tracking software evinced that inorganic and organic forms of selenium significantly (p