E. Agar et al., The effect of ethanol on the number of cells in the cochlear nucleus of the male adult rat: A stereological study, NEUROSC R C, 28(3), 2001, pp. 189-200
The effects of ethanol consumption on the means of total neuron numbers in
the cochlear nucleus (CN) of male adult rats were investigated by using the
disector/fractionator technique to make a precise and unbiased estimate of
the total number of neurons in the CN. The rats were randomly divided into
eight groups: control, 10%, 25%, 35% ethanol-consuming groups and four par
allel groups given vitamin E in addition to the ethanol. The total number o
f neurons was significantly decreased by 11.9%, 26.4%, 46.3% in left VCN, 1
2.7%, 33.6%, 46.5% in right VCN, 8.5%, 32.3%, 49.1% in left DCN, 11.0%, 32.
9%, 51.0% in right DCN in rats consuming 10%, 25%, and 35% ethanol, respect
ively. The administration of vitamin E (100 mg/kg/day i.p) to ethanol consu
ming rats for 20 days partially prevented ethanol-induced cell death in bot
h subdivisions of CN. The results of the present study imply that the CN of
adult rats is susceptible to the neurotoxic effects of ethanol and that th
ese effects can be partially blocked by vitamin E.