Histological Changes of Wistar Rats' Hippocampus and Entorhinal Cortex After Prenatal Exposure to Mosquito Coil Smoke

Abstract

Background: The structural integrity of the hippocampus and the entorhinal cortex appears to be a prerequisite for normal acquisition of information about relational and contextual representation. Increased exposures to pyrethroids by pregnant women and children have raised concerns over their potentials as developmental neurotoxicants. Objectives: We studied the histological changes on the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex of adolescent Wistar rats prenatally exposed to mosquito coil smoke (MCS). Methods: 30 adult Wistar rats (20 females, 10 males) were used for the study. Mating was induced, and pregnancy was confirmed. Pregnant animals were grouped into four, 3 animals per group. Group I was exposed to fresh air. Groups II, III, and IV were exposed to mosquito coil smoke for 4, 6 and 8 hours daily respectively throughout gestation period. On Post-natal day (PND) 29, experimental animals were humanely sacrificed and regions of the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex were processed for histological studies using H & E stain. Results and Conclusion: Our results showed that prenatal exposure to mosquito coil smoke caused neuronal degeneration, distortion in cytoarchitecture of cellular layers and vacuolations in the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex of prenatally exposed groups.