Abstract
Aluminum (Al) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of dialysis dementia and Alzheimer's diseases. The present study aimed to investigate the protective effect of selenium on fetal parietal cortex treated with aluminum chloride. Eighty pregnant rats were divided into two groups (Control and Aluminium). Aluminium treated group was given oral AlCl3, (150 mg kg(-1) body weight/day) for 3 months before mating. Pregnant rats were randomly divided in to four groups (20 dams in each), control, Al-treated, control + Selenium (200 mu g/kg/day) and Al + Selenium. Al and Selenium was administered through in. tragastric tube from GD1 to GD20. All growth parameters significantly reduced in all Al-treated groups. AlCl3 induced increase thickness of pia matter and in. crease glia fibers in the molecular layer, disruption, shrinkage and degeneration of neurons in all cortical layers. Parietal cortex in fetuses treated with selenium and AlCl3 had nearly control appearance. Also, AlCl3 induced significant reduction of layer I and the total thickness of parietal cortex. Selenium when added to AlCl3 significantly reduced all harmful effect of AlCl3 on fetal growth parameters, histopathological changes and increased thickness of layer I of parietal cortex in. rat fetuses when compared with control. It is concluded that oral AlCl3 had deleterious effects on cerebral cortex of rat fetuses whereas selenium alleviated these negative effects.