Concurrent nicotine exposure to prenatal alcohol consumption alters the hippocampal and cortical neurotoxicity.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

This study investigated the neurotoxic effects of prenatal alcohol and nicotine exposure in the cortex and hippocampus of rodents.

Main methods

Behavioral alterations, electrophysiological changes, and biochemical markers associated with cholinergic neurotransmission, neural oxidative stress, mitochondrial function, and apoptosis were evaluated.

Key findings

Prenatal alcohol exposure induced the generation of ROS, nitrite and lipid peroxide, decreased mitochondrial Complex-I and IV activities, increased Caspase-1 and 3 activities, had no effect on cholinergic neurotransmission, increased expression of PSD-95, decreased LTP and decreased performance on spatial memory tasks. However, nicotine exposure, in addition to alcohol exposure, was found to mitigate the nega

SUBMITTER: Bhattacharya D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6953639 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature