title: Alcohol and nicotine reduce cell proliferation and enhance apoptosis in dentate gyrus.
abstract: It is generally accepted that alcohol and nicotine affect learning ability and memory functions, especially in adolescents. In the present study, the effects of alcohol and nicotine on cell proliferation and apoptosis in the dentate gyrus of young rats were investigated. The results show that cell proliferation is suppressed by alcohol and nicotine. Furthermore, alcohol and nicotine increase the number of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL)-positive cells. Based on the results presented in this study, it can be suggested that alcohol- and nicotine-related impairment in learning and memory functions may be due to alcohol- and nicotine-induced suppression of new cell formation and acceleration of apoptosis, especially during adolescence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 1 Hoigi-dong, Dongdaemoon-gu, Seoul 130-701.
authors.forename: Mi-Hyeon
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Min-Chul
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Sae-Bin
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Taeck-Hyun
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Geon-Ho
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Bahn
authors.forename: Yunhee Kim
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Ee-Hwa
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Chang-Ju
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000963:Antimetabolites; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D000963:Antimetabolites; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D000431:Ethanol; D009538:Nicotine; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine