Journal of North Khorasan

Abstract Background & objective: In‌ short memory, hippocampus has an important role. Hippocampus is one of the regions of brain which neurogenesis has been shown in adults. In the present study, effect of ethanol on histological structure of dentate gyrus (DG) in epileptic mice was investigated. Materials & Methods: in this experimental study, mice (25-30g) during‌ chemical kindling (pentylentetrazol 40 mg/kg) received ethanol (0.5, 1 and 2 g/kg body weight) intraperitoneally. After treatment period, hippocampus and DG was dissected out. Histological passage and coronal cross-section was carried out in final. After Hematoxyline-stained slides forty fields random systematic (counting of normal neurons in DG) from each group by photomicroscope (Motic, X400) and Advanced motic plus2 software were studied. The mean number of normal neurons in DG of hypocampus were analyzes by ANOVA, Dunnett and Duncan. Immunohistochemical method used caspase 3 for program cell death in hypocampal neurons . Results: Dunnett test showed the number of normal neurons in ethanol receiving groups (0.5 g/kg, 7 or 21 days injection) has not been decreased significantly different in comparison with control group (p=0.41 and p=0.07 respectively). The number of normal neurons in groups which received ethanol 1g/kg (7 or 21 days injection) has been decreased significantly different in comparison with control group (p=0.014 and p=0.007 respectively). This parameter is also different between ethanol 2g/kg group and control group (p<0.001). The apoptosis of hypocampal neurons in groups which received high dose of ethanol 2 g/kg greater. Conclusion: decreasing of the number of normal neurons in DG hippocampus has right relationship with increasing dosage and duration of ethanol usage in epileptic mice