Effect of neonatal ethanol exposure on parvalbumin-expressing GABAergic neurons of the rat medial septum and cingulate cortex

Mitchell, J.Jean; Paiva, Michael; Heaton, Marieta Barrow

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Volume 21, Issue 1 , Pages 49-57, May 2000

Effect of neonatal ethanol exposure on parvalbumin-expressing GABAergic neurons of the rat medial septum and cingulate cortex

J.Jean Mitchell
- University of Florida Brain Institute, University of Florida College of Medicine, Box 100244, Gainesville, FL 32610-0244, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Box 100244, Gainesville, FL 32610-0244, USA
- Center for Alcohol Research, University of Florida College of Medicine, Box 100244, Gainesville, FL 32610-0244, USA
Michael Paiva
- University of Florida Brain Institute, University of Florida College of Medicine, Box 100244, Gainesville, FL 32610-0244, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Box 100244, Gainesville, FL 32610-0244, USA
- Center for Alcohol Research, University of Florida College of Medicine, Box 100244, Gainesville, FL 32610-0244, USA
Marieta Barrow Heaton
- University of Florida Brain Institute, University of Florida College of Medicine, Box 100244, Gainesville, FL 32610-0244, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Box 100244, Gainesville, FL 32610-0244, USA
- Center for Alcohol Research, University of Florida College of Medicine, Box 100244, Gainesville, FL 32610-0244, USA
- Corresponding author. Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Box 100244, Gainesville, FL 32610-0244, USA. Tel.: +1-352-392-1185; fax: +1-352-392-8347

Received 1 October 1999; received in revised form 10 December 1999; accepted 12 December 1999.

Abstract

This study was performed to determine the long-term effects of ethanol exposure during the brain growth spurt (postnatal days 4–10) on the number of parvalbumin-immunoreactive (PA+) GABAergic neurons in the adult (P60) rat medial septum and anterior cingulate cortex. Significant loss of neurons within each of these populations has previously been demonstrated following prenatal ethanol exposure. In the present study, no significant differences in the number of PA+ neurons were found in either the medial septum or the cingulate cortex when control and ethanol-exposed animals were compared. The cellular densities and volumetric measures in both brain regions were also similar in the two groups. We speculate that compensatory up-regulative mechanisms may have accounted for the protection of the PA neuronal populations in these two areas following the early neonatal exposure.

Keywords: Fetal alcohol syndrome, Cingulate cortex, Septum, GABA, Parvalbumin