MATERNAL ETHANOL INGESTION AND SOMATOSTATIN LEVEL AND BINDING IN DEVELOPING RAT-BRAIN

The effect of maternal ethanol ingestion on I-125-labeled [Tyr11]somatostatin (SS) binding and somatostatin-like immunoreactivity (SLI) in the rat frontoparietal cortex and hippocampus of developing offspring was explored. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were given ethanol in the drinking water before pregnancy, during gestation, and while nursing, whereas controls received a standard diet and fresh water ad libitum. In the ethanol group, food intake decreased as ethanol consumption augmented, with the ethanol calories comprising > 30% of the total energy intake during pregnancy. Total energy intake was similar for the ethanol group and normal controls. Maternal alcohol ingestion is associated with an enhanced SLI level in the frontoparietal cortex and hippocampus on the day of birth. This study provided evidence of a selective decrease in SS receptor binding in frontoparietal cortex but not in hippocampus in the 0- to 10-day-old offspring of the ethanol-fed rats. The SS receptor number increased from day 0 to 10 in both control and ethanol groups. However, the affinity appeared to decrease significantly in the ethanol group during this period. At day 30, no differences were found between offspring of control and ethanol-treated rats in any of the parameters. These results suggest that the development of SS receptors in the rat frontoparietal cortex can be transitorily delayed by maternal ethanol ingestion.