Can megadoses of thiamine prevent ethanol-induced damages of rat hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurones?
The specific aim of this study was to evaluate whether high doses of thiamine can compensate or prevent alcohol-induced damages of rat hippocampus CA1 pyramids. Twenty weeks of ethanol consumption together with a dose of thiamine in the range of 1.19 mg/100 mg food induced significant enlargement (parameters measured were length of the whole spine and diameter of the end-bulb) of dendritic spines. Hypertrophy can be interpreted as a compensation process due to alcohol-induced cell death because viable spines are in search of new synaptic contacts. In contrast, dendritic spines of the alcohol group fed at the same time with a high dose of thiamine (119 mg/ 100 g food = megavitamintherapy) showed normal data concerning these parameters. From these results it may be concluded that a megavitamin therapy supports a neuron's carbohydrate metabolism and therefore could be able to prevent or reduce alcohol-induced damages of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells in rat central nervous system.
Institut für Veterinär-Anatomie, -Histologie und -Embryologie, Giessen.
S
S
Wenisch
T
T
Steinmetz
B
B
Fortmann
R
R
Leiser
I
I
Bitsch
D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D004435:Eating; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D017966:Pyramidal Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013831:Thiamine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013832:Thiamine Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology
D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol; D013831:Thiamine