ETHANOL NEUROTOXICITY IN-VITRO - EFFECTS OF GM1 GANGLIOSIDE AND PROTEIN-SYNTHESIS INHIBITION

Cultures of septal and hippocampal neurons from fetal rat and dorsal r oot ganglion neurons from embryonic chick were pretreated with GM1 gan glioside or cycloheximide and then supplemented with toxic concentrati ons of ethanol. GM1 provided significant protection against ethanol ne urotoxicity in each population. The inhibition of protein synthesis by cycloheximide, however, which protects against cell death resulting f rom withdrawal of neurotrophic factor support, did not ameliorate etha nol-induced neuronal loss.