Effects of Cadmium on Purkinje Cell Density of Rat Cerebellum

Abstract

A lot of substance have been known to cause neuronal hyperactivity and cell death. Effects of cadmium on cerebral and cerebellar neurons are subject to interest for a long time which is present in cigarette smoke and filthy air. In present study, it was aimed to investigate the effects of cadmium sulphate (CdSO<inf>4</inf>) on purkinje cells in Lobulus Simplex area in cerebellum of rats. CdSO<inf>4</inf> (0.0021 mg/kg) is administered intracortically in 1.5 mm laterally of left Bregma with 1-2 mm depth. The same ratio of saline is administered to rats in control group. Seven-day group was treated for 7 days and animals in 30-day group received a 30 days treatment. Then, rats were perfused by neutral formaline intracardially. Cerebellum was separated from other structures of the brain and cut into sections with a distance 75-100 (m and with a thickness 6 μm. Sections were stained with thionin staining. Purkinje cells were counted under a light microscope with a magnification of 400x. Density of purkinje cells was found to be 18.79 ± 0.16 neuron/mm in right cerebellum and 19.22 ± 0.15 neuron/mm in left cerebellum of control group. In 7-day group, neuronal density was found to be 13.08 ± 2.64 neuron/mm and 13.57 ± 2.73 neuron/mm for right and left hemispheres, respectively. In 30-day treatment group, neuronal density was found to be 11.57 ± 2.02 and 11.98 ± 2.41 neuron/mm for right and left cerebellum, respectively. The difference between groups was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Results obtained from present study suggest that cadmium has neurotoxic effect and causes a decrease in cell number.