title: Light and electron microscopic study on the effect of antischizophrenic drugs on the structure of seminiferous tubules of adult male albino rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sexual dysfunction and infertility are symptoms which have been rarely studied in patients treated with antischizophrenic drugs, aripiprazole and olanzapine, for long period. This work aimed to investigate the effects of aripiprazole and olanzapine on the structure of seminiferous tubules of rats at both light microscopic and ultrastructural levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty adult male rats were divided into 3 groups (n = 20): control group (Group I) and two experimental ones (II and III). Rats in Group II received 2 mg/kg/day aripiprazole while rats in Group III received 0.5 mg/kg/day olanzapine for 14 weeks. Thereafter, testis were removed and processed for both light and electron microscopic study. Qualitative morphological analyses and histomorphometric measurements of seminiferous tubules were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rats in Group II showed reduction of testicular weight, seminiferous tubules' diameter, epithelial height, spermatogenic count, spermatogenic index and spermatogenic score whereas Sertoli cells count was increased. Olanzapine-treated rats also showed epithelial desquamation, separation and apoptotic changes of germ cells. Sertoli cells showed vacuolization, dilatation of smooth endoplasmic reticulum and accumulation of lipid droplets. Abnormality in the shape and structure of late spermatids and presence of giant cells were also demonstrated. Aripiprazole induced less adverse histological changes in rat testis than olanzapine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Olanzapine followed by aripiprazole had adverse histological effects on the structure of the seminiferous tubules, which may affect spermatogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Taibah University, Al Madina Al Monawarrah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt. halasoliman2012@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Hala M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Soliman
authors.forename: Heba M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Wagih
authors.forename: Ghalia M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Attia
authors.forename: Sami A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Algaidi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000068180:Aripiprazole; D008297:Male; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015363:Quinolones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D010879:Piperazines; D015363:Quinolones; D000068180:Aripiprazole