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Selective Direct Toxicity of Cocaine on Fetal Mouse Neurons: Teratogenic Implications of Neurite and Apoptotic Neuronal Loss
Author(s) -
NASSOGNE MARIECÉCILE,
EVRARD PHILIPPE,
COURTOY PIERRE J.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1998.tb09726.x
Subject(s) - neurite , glial fibrillary acidic protein , apoptosis , toxicity , neuroscience , prenatal cocaine exposure , programmed cell death , neurotoxicity , biology , neuronal migration , microbiology and biotechnology , pharmacology , chemistry , medicine , immunohistochemistry , pregnancy , immunology , biochemistry , in vitro , prenatal exposure , genetics , offspring
This chapter reviews epidemiologic clinical surveys and experimental animal studies, indicating that cocaine may induce severe teratogenic effects on the developing brain. Evidence for direct toxic effects is next presented. Using cocultures of embryonic brain cells, we demonstrate that cocaine selectively affects neuronal cells, first causing a dramatic reduction in the number and length of neurites, then extensive neuronal death by apoptosis. By contrast, cocaine affected neither the abundance of astroglial cells nor their glial fibrillary acidic protein content. These effects are not due to cocaine metabolites. The contributions of indirect and direct effects that could account for cocaine neuroteratogenicity are finally discussed.