Histological Study Of Cerebellum In Acrylamide Exposed Adult Male Albino Rats

Life style and feeding pattern in the last years lead to production of new substances that constitute a big problem for health. One of them is acrylamide which is found in carbohydrate diet cooked at high temperature. Aim of the work: to study the histological changes that may occur in the cerebellum of adult male albino rats after acrylamide ingestion. Materials and methods: Fourty five adult healthy male albino rats were divided into two main groups; control group (group I) and experimental group (group II). The latter received acrylamide dissolved in 1 ml water via nasogastric tube at dose of 21 mg/kg daily. It was subdivided into three subgroups; ΙΙa, ΙIb, ΙIc according to period of administration; 7, 21, 38 days respectively. At sacrification time, animals were anaesthetized by ether inhalation and then cerebella were dissected out carefully and specimens were obtained and processed for examination by light and electron microscopes. Morphometrical study and statistical analysis were performed. Results: light and electron microscopic examination of the acrylamide treated group revealed affection of the cerebellar cortex in the formof distortion of the Purkinjie cell layer. The affected Purkinjie cells were increased from group IIa to group IIc with widened pericellular spaces. Some of the severely affected cells had been lost leaving empty spaces. Cytoplasm of the affected Purkinjie cells contained vaculations, mitochondria with ruptured cristae, dilated cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum and dilated Golgi apparatus. Their nuclei showed aggregation of chromatin especially peripherally. Positive bcl-2 immunoreactive Purkinjie cells in group IIa were less than that of the control group but the immunoreactivity increased in group IIb and IIc. The number of Purkinjie cells decreased from group I to group IIc. Conclusion: The present study showed that acrylamide can induce different morphological changes in the structure of Purkinjie cell layer of the cerebellar cortex. The Purkinjie cells showed different signs of cell death which can cause the development of ataxia and muscle weakness. These changes increased steadily with increasing the duration of ACR administration.