title: Effects of prenatal exposure to ethanol on callosal projection neurons in rat somatosensory cortex.
abstract: The distribution and density of callosal projection neurons in the somatosensory cortex of mature rats was altered by prenatal exposure to ethanol. The density of callosal neurons was significantly greater in ethanol-treated rats than in controls. Ethanol exposure also altered the laminar distribution of callosal projection neurons. Whereas in control rats the cell bodies of callosal projection neurons were in layers II/III and V, in ethanol-treated rats most of these neurons were distributed in layers V and VI. Many of the ectopic neurons were generated toward the end of cortical neuronogenesis (i.e., on gestational day 20). This contrasts with controls wherein co-generated cohorts were distributed in layer II/III. Thus, the connectional phenotype of the callosal projection neurons is retained regardless of its laminar residence. These ethanol-induced abnormalities apparently result from defects in neuronal migration and axonal pruning.
authors.affiliation: Research Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Iowa City, IA 52246-2208, USA. michael-w-miller@uiowa.edu
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000187:drug effects; D048588:Benzoxazines; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000473:pathology; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000187:drug effects; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010078:Oxazines; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology; D013194:Staining and Labeling
chemical_list: D048588:Benzoxazines; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D004396:Coloring Agents; D010078:Oxazines; C028911:cresyl violet; D000431:Ethanol