HISTAMINERGIC NEURONS OF RAT BRAIN FOLLOWING SEVEN-DAY ALCOHOL LOAD

Objective. To estimate morphofunctional state of E2 histaminergic neurons of rat hypothalamus 1 h after the 7th injection of 20% ethanol solution at a dose of 4 g/kg/day. Material and methods. Rats were given injections of 20% ethanol solution (4 g/kg/day, for 7 days, decapitation – 1 h after the 7th injection). The examination was done by histological, histochemical, morphometric, cytophotometric and electron microscope methods. Results. Seven-fold alcohol administration causes increasing and rounding of perikarya and nuclei of histaminergic neurons, the activity increasing of monoamine oxidase type B, lactate dehydrogenase, acid phosphatase, the activity decreasing of dehydrogenases of succinate, NADH, NADPhH, glucose-6-phosphate, the activation of the nuclear apparatus, disturbance of the membrane organelles organization, lysosomal hyperplasia. Conclusions. 7-day ethanol administration affects the structure and metabolism of histaminergic neurons, demonstrating both the neurotoxic effect of alcohol and processes of neurons adaptation.