Ethyl alcohol administration during gestation disrupts development of sensorimotor reflexes and morphology of cerebral cortex and brachial spinal cord of albino rat newborns

The present investigation shows the effect of low dose of diluted ethyl alcohol (0.5 ml of 33% ethyl alcohol) on cerebral cortex, spinal cord and the development of sensorimotor reflexes in albino rat newborns. The newborns were divided into five groups A, B, C, D and E, each of 15 animals. Neuronal loss, oedema, pyknotic cells, vacuolation, neurocyte chromatolysis and dilated blood vessels were observed in cerebral cortex and spinal cord of the treated newborns. The intensity of nissl granules were reduced in the treated groups. The development of sensorimotor reflexes was investigated daily in the normal and treated newborns from Day 2 until reflex maturation. Grasping, surface body righting and hopping are spinal reflexes, while chin tactile placing and visual placing are cerebral reflexes. These reflexes were more retarded in their development in the treated groups than in the normal newborns. In conclusion, the present study showed that alcohol ingestion by pregnant dams at low dose lead to pathological alterations in the newborns in addition to retardation of sensorimotor reflexes in the treated groups depending on the duration of alcohol exposure. So, the most affected group was group B.   Key words: Ethanol, cerebrum, spinal cord, sensorimotor reflexes.