English

Abstract

The human frontal cortex (FC) belongs to the cerebral cortex of the frontal lobe. It contains a network of neurons associated with the initiation of movement and is the substrate for functions that include: problem-solving, abstraction, imagination, planning and memory. In addition, it is also the site of the highest concentration of sialic acid (SA) in the human body. SA participates as an integral part of ganglioside structure in synaptogenesis and neural transmission. FC is one of the sites vulnerable to the toxic effects of certain drugs like Datura stramonium (DS) in the brain. DS is a known hallucinogen and a depressant of the central nervous system and it is commonly misused. The present study was designed to investigate potential effects of DS on the histology of the frontal cortex neurons and on serum free sialic acid (FSA) in Wistar rats. We found significant histological changes in both male and female rats treated with DS. There were also significant changes in the female FSA in the treated sub-groups compared to the controls, but no significant changes in male treated groups FSA compared to the controls. High doses of DS administration may have neuro-toxic effects that could lead to histological changes in frontal cortex neurons and also alter the level of female FSA. This may have an implication in neuronal deficits and neurological disorders.