The development neurotoxicity of ethanol: Cerebral cortical cholinergic alterations induced in artificially reared rats exposed to ethanol during the brain growth spurt

It is hypothesized that cerebral cortical cholinergic neurotransmitter system alterations are induced by ethanol exposure during the vulnerable period of rapid brain growth. To test this proposal, on postnatal (PN) day 4, male Sprague Dawley rat pups were randomly assigned to either mother raised control (MRC) or artificially reared (AR) experimental groups. AR, ethanol-exposed (EE) pups received a liquid diet containing either 3%, 4%, or 5% (w/v) ethanol, while AR, cup-control (CC) pups isovolumetrically received an isocaloric, glucose-substituted diet. Acute effects of AR (CC vs MRC) and EE (EE vs CC) were determined in groups of pups sacrificed immediately following the termination of AR on PN8. Other groups of neonates were returned to foster dams on PN8 and maternally reared until sacrifice on PN20 to detect persistent or latent alternations. Although AR failed to perturb muscarinic receptor density at either age of assessment, it acutely and persistently decreased receptor affinity for (3H)QNB, and also the activities of both acetylcholinesterase and choline acetyltransferase