Maternal ethanol consumption during pregnancy may cause foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Our experiments of ethanol-treated female rats were based on the FAS model in humans; therefore, the results obtained may help explain the clinical mechanism of the disease development. The ultrastructural examination of the cerebellar cortex of ten-day-old rat pups of ethanol-treated dams during pregnancy (group IA), pregnancy and lactation (group IIA), and lactation (group IIIA) revealed that alcohol administration leads to a delayed maturation of Purkinje cells. This was most strongly manifested in the pups of dams treated with ethanol during pregnancy and lactation. Moreover, this study showed degenerative changes in Purkinje cells as well as in granular layer cells in all experimental groups. There was a difference in the ultrastructural picture of both types of dying cells, which might result from different time frame of their sensitivity to ethanol administration. The quantitative analysis showed the most pronounced decrease in the density of Purkinje cells in the posterior superior fissure of cerebellar cortex in the pups of dams treated with ethanol during pregnancy.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://dx.doi.org/10.5114/fn.2012.32374 | DOI Listing |
Cerebellum
January 2025
Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Via Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
Historically, Friedreich's Ataxia (FRDA) has been linked to a relatively preserved cerebellar cortex. Recent advances in neuroimaging have revealed altered cerebello-cerebral functional connectivity (FC), but the extent of intra-cerebellar FC changes and their impact on cognition remains unclear. This study investigates intra-cerebellar FC alterations and their cognitive implications in FRDA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExp Neurobiol
December 2024
Department of Brain and Cognitive Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea.
Research on brain aging using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) has typically focused on comparing "older" adults to younger adults. Importantly, these studies have often neglected the middle age group, which is also significantly impacted by brain aging, including by early changes in motor, memory, and cognitive functions. This study aims to address this limitation by examining the resting state networks in middle-aged adults via an exploratory whole-brain ROI-to-ROI analysis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPLoS One
January 2025
Department of Neuroscience, Laboratory of Prion Neurobiology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy.
There is no cure for Marinesco-Sjögren syndrome (MSS), a genetic multisystem disease linked to loss-of-function mutations in the SIL1 gene, encoding a BiP co-chaperone. Previously, we showed that the PERK kinase inhibitor GSK2606414 delays cerebellar Purkinje cell (PC) degeneration and the onset of ataxia in the woozy mouse model of MSS. However, GSK2606414 is toxic to the pancreas and does not completely rescue the woozy phenotype.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Vis Exp
December 2024
The David and Inez Myers Laboratory for Cancer Genetics, Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University;
Cerebellar Purkinje cells (PCs) exhibit a unique interplay of high metabolic rates, specific chromatin architecture, and extensive transcriptional activity, making them particularly vulnerable to DNA damage. This necessitates an efficient DNA damage response (DDR) to prevent cerebellar degeneration, often initiated by PC dysfunction or loss. A notable example is the genome instability syndrome, ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T), marked by progressive PC depletion and cerebellar deterioration.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRadiol Case Rep
March 2025
Department of Neurology, Delafontaine Hospital, Seine Saint-Denis, France.
Hepatic encephalopathy may trigger cortical laminar necrosis (CLN), which is characterized by diffuse symmetric cortical lesions. We report a 56-year-old woman with liver cirrhosis who presented with prolonged floor station, reduced alertness and left hemiplegia. Blood ammonia level was elevated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!