Repeated administration of methamphetamine damages cells in the somatosensory cortex: overlap with cytochrome oxidase-rich barrels.
Multiple injections of methamphetamine (mAMPH) cause degeneration of neurons in rat primary somatosensory cortex (Par1). These degenerating cells can be labeled histochemically with the fluorochrome dye, Fluoro-Jade (FJ). This area of Par1 also contains the representation of the mystacial vibrissae. Neurons in this area of Par1 receiving projections derived from the vibrissae are arranged in discrete functional units ("barrels"), which are revealed by cytochrome oxidase (CO) histochemistry. Here, rats given mAMPH (four injections of 4 mg/kg, sc, 2-h intervals between injections) showed FJ-positive neurons in Par1 that were located predominantly near the perimeter of the CO-dense barrels. Thus, the Par1 neurons damaged by multiple administration of mAMPH are located within whisker barrels.
O'Dell
S J
SJ
Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, University of California, Irvine 92697, USA. sjodell@uci.edu
Marshall
J F
JF
D000818:Animals; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity*; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000633:toxicity*; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000201:enzymology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D014738:Vibrissae / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology
D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; D008694:Methamphetamine; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV