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doi:10.1016/j.brainres.2005.11.024 
Copyright © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Research Report
Altered organization of cortical interneurons in rats exposed to ethanol during neonatal life
Accepted 2 November 2005.
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Abstract
The fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a known cause of mental retardation in humans. Studies based on experimental models of FAS have demonstrated deep alterations of the cerebral cortex. Here, the anatomical organization of cortical interneurons immunoreactive for different calcium binding proteins has been studied in adult rats exposed to alcohol inhalation during the first week of postnatal life. The main finding is represented by an increase of calretinin neurons in ethanol-treated animals compared to controls and by a corresponding decrease of calbindin neurons. The radial distribution of these neurons was also modified in ethanol-treated cases. These changes were evident both in the primary motor and somatosensory area. No significant differences were found in the number and distribution of parvalbumin interneurons. The functional implications of these data and their significance for FAS are discussed.
Keywords: Calbindin; Calretinin; Parvalbumin; Fetal alcohol syndrome; GABA; Mental retardation
Neuroscience classification codes: Development and regeneration, Cerebral cortex and limbic system
Abbreviations: ANOVA, analysis of variance; BAC, blood alcohol concentration; C, control cases; CaBPs, calcium binding proteins; CB, calbindin-D-28K; CR, calretinin; Et, ethanol-treated cases; FAS, fetal alcohol syndrome; M1, primary motor cortex; N, normally reared animals; PV, parvalbumin; S1, primary somatosensory cortex
