Ultrastructural changes in the mouse fetal neocortex following chronic maternal alcoholization.
Female mice (RAP strain) were alcoholized for 30-50 days before mating and during pregnancy until killing, with a 20% solution of ethanol administered instead of drinking water. From foetuses of 16, 18, 20 days and from newborn puppies on day 1 parietal neocortex fragments were excised and examined electronmicroscopically. Chronic maternal alcoholization induces in the neocortex of mouse foetuses and newborn puppies various ultrastructural changes: swelling of mitochondria with the disappearance of cristae and vacuolation, both in the capillary endothelium and in the cells of the neural tissue; enlargement of intercellular spaces; in the neocortex zones rich in neuronal processes (marginal and intermediary zone) vacuolation and structural wastage of these processes are detected. Moderate chronic alcohol intake leads to persistent ultrastructural changes in the fetal and newborn neocortex which may contribute to the appearance of some neuro-psychical and behavioral symptoms in alcohol embryo- and fetopathy. The possible pathogenetic pathways leading to the pathological changes detected are discussed.
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D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000196:embryology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000196:embryology / Q000473:pathology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects