Effects of prenatal ethanol exposure on central dopamine and Met-enkephalin system ontogeny
The effect of utero ethanol exposure on the development of central neurotransmitter systems was examined in rat offspring of dams that consumed liquid diets containing 35% ethanol derived calories either before and during pregnancy (E-P and P), or exclusively during gestation (E-Preg). Autoradiography of tritiated ligand receptor binding was used to rapidly screen neurotransmitter receptors in cholinergic, dopaminergic, serotonergic, noradrenergic, GABAergic, and opiatergic systems. The results led to a more comprehensive study of (1) the dopaminergic D-2 receptor binding using (/sup 3/H)spiroperidol, and (2) the opiatergic mu and delta receptor binding defined by (/sup 3/H)Met-enkephalin. Significant reductions in (/sup 3/H)spiroperidol binding were found in the 15 day old E-Preg caudate-putamen, which may be related to reductions in neurotransmission and increased locomotor activity. This provides a link between the hyperactivity reported in animal models and children with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and its attenuation by drugs that facilitate dopaminergic transmission. Significant reductions were also seen in D-2 receptor binding in the inferior colliculus, which may be related to the functional deficits in the auditory processing of information by hyperactive children and the changes in the auditory evoked potentials of FAS children found at the level of that structure. The hyperactivity and auditory dysfunction improve with age, consistent with the trend in binding of (/sup 3/H)spiroperidol to D-2 receptors. The D-2 receptor binding in the E-P and P group was normal in nearly all brain regions which suggests that ethanol exposure begun during pregnancy may be more harmful than when initiated before pregnancy.
- Research Organization:
- Chicago Medical School, IL (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6785580
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
AUTORADIOGRAPHY
ONTOGENESIS
DOPAMINE
RADIOASSAY
ENKEPHALINS
ETHANOL
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
PRENATAL EXPOSURE
CHILDREN
DIET
PREGNANCY
RATS
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
AGE GROUPS
ALCOHOLS
AMINES
ANIMALS
AROMATICS
AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM AGENTS
CARDIOTONICS
CARDIOVASCULAR AGENTS
DRUGS
ENDORPHINS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MAMMALS
NERVOUS SYSTEM
NEUROREGULATORS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PEPTIDES
PHENOLS
POLYPEPTIDES
POLYPHENOLS
PROTEINS
RODENTS
SYMPATHOMIMETICS
VERTEBRATES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology