Prenatal alcohol exposure and the neuroapoptosis with long-term effect in visual cortex of mice.

AIMS The prenatal ethanol exposure induced neuroapoptosis and neuron loss in visual cortex would be investigated in mice at P0, P7 and P14. METHODS Intubating pregnant mice ethanol daily began on E5 and continued through the pup's birth. The neuroapoptosis in visual cortex was visualized by the caspase 3 immunocytochemistry, and the neuron loss was observed with Nissl method as well. RESULTS With prenatal ethanol exposure, the dose-dependent neuroapoptosis and neuron loss in visual cortex could be found at P0 and even at P7 and P14 as well. CONCLUSIONS The prenatal ethanol exposure induced neuroapoptosis and neuron loss will persist into postnatal stage, and the long-term effect of neuroapoptosis might be one of the causes of postnatal neurobehavioural disturbances associated with fetal alcohol syndrome.