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Incomplete closure of the neural groove. future prospects for clinical studies
Author(s) -
Acerbi G.,
Albanese C.,
Iorio A.,
Tatone D.,
Angelozzi V.,
Caciagli P.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
international journal of developmental neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.761
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1873-474X
pISSN - 0736-5748
DOI - 10.1016/0736-5748(85)90132-7
Subject(s) - medicine , neurosurgery , surgery
The effects of neonatal ethanol exposure on brain growth and motor performance were investigated in Sprague-Dawley rats. Ethanol 4 g/kg body weight was given daily in divided doses via gastric gavage on days 6 through 16 after birth. The 6 g/kg dose was given similarly but only on day 6 after birth. Differences in body, whole brain, and cerebellar weights and balancing ability were observed on day 17 after birth, i.e., either one or 10 days after completion of the respective treatment schedules. At 70 days of age, body, liver and adrenal weights did not differ among treated and control groups, however differences persisted in whole brain and cerebellar weights and in motor performance in both treated groups as compared with controls. Cerebellar weight was disproportionately affected in treated as compared with control groups. These results suggest that episodic exposure to ethanol during peak brain growth may be as devastating to central nervous system development as chronic exposure to ethanol.