Developing rat Purkinje cells are more vulnerable to alcohol-induced depletion during differentiation than during neurogenesis.

This study compared the extent of cerebellar Purkinje cell depletion induced by administering alcohol to rats during two temporally distinct periods of Purkinje cell development--neurogenesis and early differentiation. One group received alcohol (5 g/kg/day) during and shortly after Purkinje cell neurogenesis (gestational days 13-18) via oral intubation of pregnant dams. A second group received alcohol (2.5 g/kg/day) during early Purkinje cell differentiation (postnatal days 4-9) via artificial rearing of pups. The two alcohol treatment protocols were designed to match the cyclic daily blood alcohol profiles of the two groups as closely as possible. Pair-fed intubated controls, artificially reared gastrostomy controls, and normally reared ad lib/suckle controls were also evaluated. Mean peak blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) were 266 mg/dl for the intubated pregnant dams and 205 mg/dl for the pups exposed postnatally. Purkinje cell profiles were counted from single, 2-microns-thick midsaggital sections on postnatal day 10. Alcohol exposure during neurogenesis resulted in no significant change in Purkinje cell profile densities. Exposure during differentiation produced significant reductions in Purkinje cell profile densities, predominantly in the early maturing regions of the vermis (lobules I-IV and IX-X). These results indicate that Purkinje cells are more vulnerable to alcohol-induced population depletion during differentiation than during neurogenesis.