[Effect of alcohol on cerebral cortex neurons].

Prevalent in the early period (10th--20th days) of experimental alcoholic intoxication were functional changes of the neurons and the dendrites with elements of compensatory character. With the progress of the pathological process (in 2,4,8,12, and 15 months) these functional changes gave more and more place to dystrophic and destructive ones. The following sequence of the dendrite structural changes was observed: a diminution of the number of impregnated spines, the loss of the spines, a convoluted pattern of the dendrites, a thinning of the dendrite branches with non-uniformity of their impregnation, appearance of "light fenestrae" along the dendrites. The damage of the dendrite structure plays an important role in the pathogenesis of alcoholic affections of the brain.