The effects of prenatal and postnatal (via nursing) exposure to alcohol in rats

Conference · Wed Feb 26 00:00:00 EST 1992 · FASEB Journal (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology); (United States)

OSTI ID:7049925

Nekvasil, N; Baggio, C ^[1]

---

1. St. Mary's Coll., Notre Dame, IN (United States)

Pregnant and post-partum rats were given daily doses of 20% alcohol during days 13-21 gestation and postnatal days 3-12, respectively. Following exposure, all rat pups, were tested for balance, blood pressure, right and left cerebral hemisphere weights, and cerebellar weight. Results were grouped according to exposure and gender. The postnatal group was the only one to demonstrate difficulties with balance. The mean arterial pressure in males exposed postnatally was significantly lower than the control and prenatal males. Females exposed postnatally had a significantly higher blood pressure than control females. Within the postnatal group, males had a significantly lower blood pressure than the females. Prenatal and control females differed significantly for left cerebral hemisphere (LCH) weight with the prenatal weighing less. Male pups exposed prenatally had significantly heavier LCH than the postnatal and control males. For both males and females, postnatal LCH weights did not differ from those of the control pups. Within the prenatal group, the LCH weight in females was significantly lower than in males. Mean cerebellar weights were significantly lower in postnatal animals compared to control animals. A major finding of this study is that the effect of alcohol exposure on rat pups depends on gender and developmental age.

• OSTI ID: 7049925
• Report Number(s): CONF-9204141-; CODEN: FAJOE
• Journal Information: FASEB Journal (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology); (United States), Vol. 6:4; Conference: Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) meeting, Anaheim, CA (United States), 5-9 Apr 1992; ISSN 0892-6638
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ETHANOL
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
AGE DEPENDENCE
BLOOD PRESSURE
BRAIN
METABOLISM
PRENATAL EXPOSURE
RATS
SEX DEPENDENCE
ALCOHOLS
ANIMALS
BODY
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
MAMMALS
NERVOUS SYSTEM
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
RODENTS
VERTEBRATES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology