Effects of in utero ethanol exposure on cortical 5-HT2 binding sites

Previous studies by this laboratory found that in utero ethanol exposure results in a decrease of several presynaptic components of serotonin (5-HT) containing neurons in the cerebral cortex and cortical regions. The present study examined whether in utero ethanol exposure similarly affects the development of the cortical targets of serotonergic projections. Specifically, we examined the influence of in utero ethanol exposure on 5-HT2 binding sites in the motor and somatosensory cortices of the offspring of rats that consumed a control or 6.6% (v/v) ethanol liquid diet on a chronic basis prior to parturition. These studies demonstrated that neither the Kd nor Bmax for the binding of [3H]-ketanserin to membranes from the motor and somatosensory cortices of 19- and 35-day-old rats were significantly altered by in utero ethanol exposure. These results suggest that the development of the postsynaptic target areas of cortical serotonergic projections are more resistant to the effects of in utero ethanol exposure than the presynaptic components of these projections.