Cocaine causes deficits in radial migration and alters the distribution of glutamate and GABA neurons in the developing rat cerebral cortex.

ABSTRACT: Prenatal cocaine exposure induces cytoarchitectural changes in the embryonic neocortex; however, the biological mechanisms and type of cortical neurons involved in these changes are not known. Previously, we found that neural progenitor proliferation in the neocortical ventricular zone (VZ) is inhibited by cocaine; here, we examine the changes in cortical neurogenesis and migration of glutamate and GABA neurons induced by prenatal cocaine exposure. Pregnant rats received 20 mg/kg of cocaine intraperitoneally twice at an interval of 12 h during three periods of neocortical neurogenesis. Neocortical area and distribution of developing neurons were examined by counting Tuj1+, glutamate+, or GABA+ cells in different areas of the cerebral cortex. Cocaine decreased neocortical area by reducing t

SUBMITTER: Lee CT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2965825 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature