Decreased synapse-to-neuron ratio in rat locus ceruleus following chronic ethanol feeding.
Effects of chronic ethanol exposure on the synapse-to-neuron ratio of rat locus ceruleus were investigated. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were given an ethanol-containing liquid diet for 4 months starting at an age of 5 weeks. Littermates, given isocaloric amounts of an ethanol-free diet, served as control. The animals were perfusion fixed using a mixture of glutaraldehyde and paraformaldehyde. Synapse-to-neuron ratio was estimated by the double disector method and calculated from (Ns/A) x (Nsec -1) / (Nn/A) where Ns/A is the number of synapses per unit area estimated in a disector with a height of on section and Nsec -1 is height of the disector, i.e., the number of sections, used for estimating the number of neurons per area (Nn/A). The mean estimated synapse-to-neuron ratio was 2046 +/- 544 (SD) in ethanol-fed rats and 4291 +/- 1171 (SD) in control rats. The difference is statistically significant (p < 0.05). The finding may be of relevance for understanding the development of abuse, tolerance, drug dependence, and abstinence reactions.
Kjellström
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C
Department of Pathology, Gothenburg University, Sweden.
Almström
S
S
Conradi
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N
D000437:Alcoholism / Q000473:pathology*; D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count / Q000187:drug effects; D008125:Locus Coeruleus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology