EFFECT OF ETHANOL ON CEREBRAL AND CEREBELLAR CORTICES, NEUROBEHAVIOUR AND TRACE ELEMENTS OF NEONATAL WISTAR RATS AFTER INTRAUTERINE EXPOSURE
EFFECT OF ETHANOL ON CEREBRAL AND CEREBELLAR CORTICES, NEUROBEHAVIOUR AND TRACE ELEMENTS OF NEONATAL WISTAR RATS AFTER INTRAUTERINE EXPOSURE
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Date
2016-05
Authors
SHEHU, Ibrahim El-Ladan
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Abstract
Alcohol is the most widely used and abused psychoactive drug globally. Ethanol is the
main ingredient in the three classes of alcoholic beverages. Children of alcoholic
pregnant women are prone to wide spectrum of disorder referred to as Foetal Alcoholic
Spectrum Disorder (FASD). The present study aimed at evaluating the teratologic
effects of ethanol on the histology, neurobehaviour and trace elements of cerebellar and
cerebral cortices of the neonatal Wistar rats. Twenty eight (28) female Wistar rats were
mated with matured males in ratio 2:1. Pregnant dams were then grouped into 7. Group
A served as the control group that received distilled water, Groups B, C and D were
administered 0.5ml 20% ethanol for 7, 14 and 20 days during pregnancy respectively.
Groups E, F and G were given 0.5ml 30% ethanol in the above stated manner.
Following parturition, morphometric indices of the litters were taken at birth. Neuro
behavioural assessments were done on postnatal days 5, 6 and 7. Cerebral and
Cerebellar tissues were obtained and processed for paraffin embedding for histological
evaluation using Haematoxylin and Eosin and histochemical study using Cresyl Fast
Violet Stains. Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry was used to quantify Iron, Zinc,
Copper and Manganese in the cerebrum and cerebellum. The result showed effects on
the weight and crown rump length of the pups by exhibiting lower weight and crown
rump length values in the ethanol treated neonates. Intrauterine ethanol exposure was
shown to affect the development of vestibular and postural reflexes, sensory and motor
coordination with significance at p˂0.05.Histological evaluation of the cerebral cortex
revealed histopathological presentations such as pyknosis, karyorhexis, clumping of
cells and neural degeneration. Histology of the cerebellar cortex showed degeneration
and disorientation of purkinje cells. Histochemical evaluation of the cerebral cortex
showed degradation of nissl substance. Moreover, the histochemistry of the cerebellar
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cortex demonstrated chromatolysis of the purkinje cells.The concentration of Iron in
cerebrum was depleted when compared with the control, there was no statistical
significance at P˂0.05, while the amount of Iron in the cerebellum was significantly
elevatedin the treated groups (P˂0.01, P˂0.001). The amount of Copper in the cerebrum
was also depleted while significantly elevated in the cerebellum (P˂0.05). The
concentration of Manganese in the cerebrum and the cerebellum was elevated in some
of the treated groups and depleted in some of the treated groups as well, there was no
statistical significance at P˂0.05. The amount of Zinc in the cerebrum was depleted with
high statistical significance (P˂0.001) in all the ethanol-treated groups when compared
with the control group. On the other hand, the concentration of Zinc in the cerebellum
was also depleted but there was no statistical significance (P˂0.05). The findings from
this study revealed that, intrauterine ethanol exposure has potency of inducing
teratogenicity on the morphometry, neuro-behaviour, histology, and alters the trace
element concentrations in the brain of the neonates irrespective of the trimester
equivalence.
Description
A RESEARCH DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POST GRADUATE STUDIES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERISTY, ZARIA. IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN HUMAN ANATOMY
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN ANATOMY, FACULTY OF MEDICINE, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, NIGERIA.
Keywords
ETHANOL,, CEREBRAL, WISTAR RATS, CEREBELLAR CORTICES,, NEUROBEHAVIOUR, NEONATAL