Seven-day ethanol administration influence on the rat brain histaminergic neurons

The purpose of the study is to clarify the effect of 7 days of ethanol administration upon brain histaminergic neurons in rats. Male Wistar rats were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with 20% ethanol/saline (0.85% NaCl) daily, over 7 days, whereas control rats were given saline. The animals were decapitated 24 h after the 7th injection and samples of hypothalamus were prepared for light and electron microscopy, accompanied by morphometry to examine the histaminergic neurons. It was found that ethanol administration gradually decreased the duration of alcohol-induced sleep and decreased the total amount of histaminergic neurons and the amount of histologically normal neurons, but increased the amount of hypochromic neurons and shadow cells. The histaminergic neuron bodies and nuclei decreased in size. The ultrastructural changes in histaminergic neurons demonstrated activation of their nuclear apparatus, both destruction or hypertrophy and hyperplasia of organelles, especially lysosomes. The histochemical examination revealed the activation of lactate dehydrogenase and acid phosphatase, and inhibition of NADH-, NADPhH, and succinate dehydrogenases. Following 7 days of ethanol administration, histaminergic neurons exhibit the structural signs of hyperactivity, which can be related to neuronal adaptation to the actions of ethanol, and increased behavioral tolerance to ethanol.