Synaptic density of caudate-putamen and visual cortex following exposure to ethanol in utero.
Pregnant Long-Evans rats were fed a liquid diet containing ethanol (30% of total calories) during days 3-19 of gestation. Controls were given ad libitum access to liquid diet lacking ethanol, or pair-fed isocaloric amounts based on consumption by the animals in the ethanol group. Brain development of female offspring was evaluated by analysis of electron micrographs of caudate-putamen and visual cortex. Numbers of presynaptic terminals and synaptic junctions (synaptic density) per unit area were compared for 14- and 28-day-old offspring of dams from the three treatment groups. Synaptic density of the caudate-putamen and visual cortex was not affected by ethanol at 14 or 28 days. Although exposure to ethanol during a period comparable to the first two trimesters of human development with minimal or no undernutrition did not affect numerical density of synapses in visual cortex or caudate-putamen, synaptogenesis of caudate-putamen was altered in offspring of pair-fed animals.
Lancaster
F
F
Biology Department, Texas Woman's University, Houston.
Delaney
C
C
Samorajski
T
T
D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure*
D000431:Ethanol