title: Decreased density of synaptic formation in the frontal cortex of neonatal rats exposed to ethanol in utero.
abstract: We examined the developing synaptic junctions in the rat frontal cortex in cases of fetal alcohol syndrome, the objective being to determine the synapse-mental retardation relationship. On day 21 of gestation, the ultrastructural synaptic junction revealed no obvious differences between the ethanol-exposed and control rats; however, the number of synapses in ethanol-exposed rats was one third that of the controls. The possible relationship between synaptic density in the frontal cortex and mental development has to be considered.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000473:pathology*; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005865:Gestational Age; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure*