The effect of ethanol on the cellular composition of the cerebellum.

Pregnant Wistar rats were fed on a diet of food pellets and a 10% (v/v) solution of ethanol in water during pregnancy and up to 21 days postnatally. Control groups were given food pellets and water ad libitum. Areal analysis of the cerebellum of neonates showed a significant reduction of 9.7% to 12.4% in three selected lobules of the mid-sagittal vermis. Although there were no significant decreases in the linear frequency and absolute number of Purkinje cells, all three lobules showed a small percentage decrease in the length of Purkinje cell layer. The total number of granule cells was significantly reduced in all three lobules, and the ratio of granule cells to Purkinje cells was reduced by between 8.6% and 13.6%, although not significantly. The pyknotic index in the external granular layer (but not in the internal granular layer) and significantly increased at 21 days, while mitotic activity was unchanged. The extent of the diminution in the cell number of the internal granular layer suggests that besides increased cell death there may be a disturbance of cell proliferation kinetics in the precursor pool of the external granular layer. Although it is known that high blood levels can cause death of Purkinje cells, the moderate alcohol blood levels attained in this study were insufficient to do so.