Long term learning disabilities and other behavioral deficits have been described in children who were exposed to ethanol prenatally. A disorganization of neuronal and glial elements observed in the brains of such children and in animal models of ethanol exposure in utero may explain these learning and behavioral deficits. The hippocampal formation, an area of the brain involved with learning and memory, is quite sensitive to the effects of ethanol both pre- and postnatally. Anatomic and behavioral studies of fetal alcohol animals suggest a functional deficit within the hippocampal formation of these animals. The neurochemical manifestation(s) of this proposed functional deficit are unknown. The experiments outlined in this proposal are designed to study neurotransmitter receptors and several other neurochemical parameters in the hippocampal formation of animals exposed to ethanol prenatally. Attention will be focused on the dentate granule cells, their efferent projection to the hippocampal CA3-4 pyramidal cells and the afferent inputs to dentate granule cells. Using radiohistochemical techniques, the number and distribution of glutamate, muscarinic cholinergic, serotonergic, noradrenergic, GABA, kappa-opiate and adenosine receptors will be examined in the hippocampal formation of fetal alcohol animals and compared to ad lib fed and pair fed controls. The disposition of zinc in the axonal terminals of dentate granule cells after an intraventricular injection of zinc65 will also be examined. Finally, three neurochemical parameters will be examined that are thought to be associated with the mechanisms of long term potentiation in the hippocampal formation, and possibly with learning. The experiments described in this proposal should provide considerable information regarding the effects of ethanol exposure in utero on the hippocampal formation.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AA006548-02
Application #
3109690
Study Section
Alcohol Biomedical Research Review Committee (ALCB)
Project Start
1985-08-01
Project End
1988-07-31
Budget Start
1986-08-01
Budget End
1987-07-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1986
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of New Mexico
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
829868723
City
Albuquerque
State
NM
Country
United States
Zip Code
87131
Savage, Daniel D; Becher, Matthew; de la Torre, Alejandro J et al. (2002) Dose-dependent effects of prenatal ethanol exposure on synaptic plasticity and learning in mature offspring. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 26:1752-8
Weeber, E J; Savage, D D; Sutherland, R J et al. (2001) Fear conditioning-induced alterations of phospholipase C-beta1a protein level and enzyme activity in rat hippocampal formation and medial frontal cortex. Neurobiol Learn Mem 76:151-82
Savage, D D; Galindo, R; Queen, S A et al. (2001) Characterization of electrically evoked [3H]-D-aspartate release from hippocampal slices. Neurochem Int 38:255-67
Costa, E T; Olivera, D S; Meyer, D A et al. (2000) Fetal alcohol exposure alters neurosteroid modulation of hippocampal N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors. J Biol Chem 275:38268-74
Costa, E T; Savage, D D; Valenzuela, C F (2000) A review of the effects of prenatal or early postnatal ethanol exposure on brain ligand-gated ion channels. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 24:706-15
Savage, D D; Cruz, L L; Duran, L M et al. (1998) Prenatal ethanol exposure diminishes activity-dependent potentiation of amino acid neurotransmitter release in adult rat offspring. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 22:1771-7
Perrone-Bizzozero, N I; Isaacson, T V; Keidan, G M et al. (1998) Prenatal ethanol exposure decreases GAP-43 phosphorylation and protein kinase C activity in the hippocampus of adult rat offspring. J Neurochem 71:2104-11
Allan, A M; Wu, H; Paxton, L L et al. (1998) Prenatal ethanol exposure alters the modulation of the gamma-aminobutyric acidA1 receptor-gated chloride ion channel in adult rat offspring. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 284:250-7
Allan, A M; Weeber, E J; Savage, D D et al. (1997) Effects of prenatal ethanol exposure on phospholipase C-beta 1 and phospholipase A2 in hippocampus and medial frontal cortex of adult rat offspring. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 21:1534-41
Carpenter, S P; Savage, D D; Schultz, E D et al. (1997) Ethanol-mediated transplacental induction of CYP2E1 in fetal rat liver. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 282:1028-36

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