Synaptic density of caudate-putamen and visual cortex following exposure to ethanol in utero.

Pregnant Long-Evans rats were fed a liquid diet containing ethanol (30% of total calories) during days 3-19 of gestation. Controls were given ad libitum access to liquid diet lacking ethanol, or pair-fed isocaloric amounts based on consumption by the animals in the ethanol group. Brain development of female offspring was evaluated by analysis of electron micrographs of caudate-putamen and visual cortex.

Effects of aging and alcohol on the biochemical composition of histologically normal human brain.

Human brains were removed at autopsy and examined grossly and histologically for any abnormality or evidence of disease. Sixty-two brains appearing normal by these criteria were examined further. First, a detailed record of alcohol consumption was obtained.

Development of axonal-oligodendroglial relationships and junctions during myelination of the optic nerve.

The early stages of myelination were examined in optic nerves of rats aged 12-15 days. The initial association between oligodendroglial processes and bare axons involves no junctional specialization, as the axoglial extracellular space remains unaltered. Following ensheathment by a collar of glial cytoplasm, at least one full rotation of mesaxon was evident before compact myelin formed.

Voluntary wheel running exercise and monoamine levels in brain, heart and adrenal glands of aging mice.

The goals of this study were to examine the effects of three months of voluntary wheel-running exercise on life span, whole body and brain, heart and adrenal weights and biogenic amine content (norepinephrine, dopamine, epinephrine and serotonin) in three age groups of male mice. The three groups consisted of mature (9 months), middle-aged (19 months), and old (27-29 months) mice. No significant differences in weight were found between control and exercise or age.

Prenatal ethanol exposure decreases synaptic density in the molecular layer of the cerebellum.

Pregnant Long-Evans rats were fed a liquid diet containing ethanol during gestation (peak blood ethanol level of 128 mg/dl). Pairfed dams were given isocaloric diet lacking ethanol; and control dams were allowed ad libitum access to liquid diet without ethanol. Subsequent effects of ethanol were measured by morphometric analysis of electron micrographs.