Alcohol withdrawal causes a loss of cerebellar Purkinje cells in mice

Mice received a liquid diet containing alcohol for 4 months, after which half of them were sacrificed and the others given a 4-month recovery period before being sacrificed. They were compared with similar mice receiving the diet with alcohol replaced isocalorically by sucrose. No damage was detected in the cerebellum during alcohol consumption, but the number of Purkinje cells was significantly reduced in the recovery period. The experiment was repeated twice with mice consuming a normal diet but exposed to alcohol vapor. The first group was exposed to alcohol vapor 24 hr/day for 3 weeks and then given alternating 1-week periods of recovery and exposure 24 hr/day until a total of 6 weeks of exposure to alcohol vapor and 4 one-week recovery periods had been experienced. They were compared with similar mice exposed to alcohol vapor 24 hr/day for 6 weeks without a recovery period. The second group was exposed to alcohol vapor 9 hr/day for 3 weeks, when part of the group was given a 3-week recovery period. In both experiments, damage was not detected in the cerebellum during alcohol exposure, but in mice withdrawn from alcohol, the number of Purkinje cells was reduced and qualitative evidence of neuronal degeneration was found with a silver stain. In a further group of mice, exposure to alcohol vapor was tapered off gradually, and no evidence of neuronal loss was found. Indications in the literature that withdrawal from alcohol can cause brain damage are briefly reviewed.