THE VOLUME OF PURKINJE-CELLS DECREASES IN THE CEREBELLUM OF ACRYLAMIDE - INTOXICATED RATS, BUT NO CELLS ARE LOST

The effects of acrylamide intoxication on the numbers of granule and P urkinje cells and the volume of Purkinje cell perikarya have been eval uated with stereological methods. The analysis was carried out in the cerebella of rats that had received a, dose of 33.3 mg/kg acrylamide, twice a week, for 7.5 weeks. The total numbers of cerebellar granule a nd Purkinje cells were estimated using the optical fractionator and th e mean volume of the Purkinje cell perikarya was estimated with the ve rtical rotator technique. The volumes of the molecular layer, the gran ular cell layer and the white matter were estimated using the Cavalier i principle. The mean weight of the cerebellum of the intoxicated rats was 7% lower than that of the controls rats (2P=0.001). The numbers o f the Purkinje cells and granule cells were the same in both groups, b ut the mean volume of the perikarya of the Purkinje cells in the intox icated rats was 10.5% less than that of the control group (2P=0.004). The volume of the granular cell layer was reduced by 15% (2P=0.006) bu t there were no differences in the volumes of the molecular layer and the white matter in the intoxicated and control animals.