title: Altered organization of cortical interneurons in rats exposed to ethanol during neonatal life.
abstract: The fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a known cause of mental retardation in humans. Studies based on experimental models of FAS have demonstrated deep alterations of the cerebral cortex. Here, the anatomical organization of cortical interneurons immunoreactive for different calcium binding proteins has been studied in adult rats exposed to alcohol inhalation during the first week of postnatal life. The main finding is represented by an increase of calretinin neurons in ethanol-treated animals compared to controls and by a corresponding decrease of calbindin neurons. The radial distribution of these neurons was also modified in ethanol-treated cases. These changes were evident both in the primary motor and somatosensory area. No significant differences were found in the number and distribution of parvalbumin interneurons. The functional implications of these data and their significance for FAS are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Catholic University, L.go A. Gemelli 1-20123 Milan, Italy. alberto.granato@unicatt.it
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Granato
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D064032:Calbindin 2; D064026:Calbindins; D002452:Cell Count; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D007395:Interneurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects*; D010320:Parvalbumins / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C576764:CALB2 protein, human; C576512:Calb2 protein, rat; D064032:Calbindin 2; D064026:Calbindins; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D010320:Parvalbumins; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G; D000431:Ethanol