EFFECTS OF PRENATAL COCAINE EXPOSURE IN THE PHOTORECEPTOR CELLS OF THE RAT RETINA

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 1995

Authors

silvaaraujo, a (Author) Other; abreudias, p (Author) Other; silva, mc (Author) ICBAS; tavares, ma (Author) FMUP

Journal

Title: Molecular Neurobiology

Vol. 11

Pages: 77-86

ISSN: 0893-7648

Publisher: Springer Nature

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 18 Citations

Scopus - 17 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Medical and Health sciences > Basic medicine

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-001-GK7

DOI: 10.1007/BF02740686

Abstract (EN): Despite the increasing evidence of eye abnormalities, the effects of prenatal exposure to cocaine on the visual system are still poorly understood. This study was aimed at analyzing the qualitative and quantitative organization of the retinal photoreceptor cells (PR) and outer nuclear layer (ONL) after prenatal exposure to cocaine in the rat. Pregnant Wistar rats were given sc injections of cocaine hydrochloride (60 mg/kg body wt/d) or saline or were not manipulated; analyses were performed in the 14- and 30-d-old male offspring. Radial semithin and ultrathin sections of epon-embedded flat mounts of the retina showed displaced PR-like cells in the inner nuclear layer (INL), picnotic PR nuclei in INL, and ONL, and retinal PR rosettes and outer-segment debris in the subretinal space. The quantitative study showed an increased density of PR-like nuclei in the INL in PND14 cocaine-treated rats that were within normal values at PND30; no changes were detected in the PR mean nuclear diameter and in the packing density of PR nuclei in the ONL. These data constitute the first morphological demonstration of photoreceptor damage after prenatal cocaine-exposure probably owing to a direct action of the drug and/or to the cocaine-induced ischemia/hypoxia.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 10