Aluminum chloride impacts dentate gyrus structure in male adult albino Wistar rats

• AlCl3 focuses significantly in plasma and brain with a dose and period dependent manner.
• Chronic aluminum chloride exposure affects significantly a body and brain weight with highest dose at highest periods.
• AlCl3 has a destructive effect on subgranular layer and granular layer aspect in adult compared to the control.

To get better insights into the aluminum neurotoxicity, rats were treated with AlCl3 for increasing doses and periods. Body and brain weights, plasma and brain AlCl3 levels were assayed. Light microscopy observation of brain was performed. AlCl3 exposure showed a significant decrease (p < 0.05) on body and brain weight with the highest dose at 18 months. Statistical analysis confirms no significant interaction during 6 months (ρ = 0.357; p > 0.05) while, significant correlation was observed during 12 (ρ = 0.836; p < 0.001) and 18 months (ρ = 0.769; p < 0.001) between body and brain weight. Plasma and brain AlCl3 concentration increased significantly (p < 0.05) with dose and period dependent manner. Statistical analysis confirms significant interaction between brain concentrations of AlCl3 and administrated doses during 6 (ρ = 0.969; p < 0.001), 12 (ρ = 0.971; p < 0.001) and 18 months (ρ = 0.965; p < 0.001). Similar relation was established between plasma AlCl3 concentration and administrated doses during 6 (ρ = 0.970; p < 0.001), 12 (ρ = 0.971; p < 0.001) and 18 months (ρ = 0.964; p < 0.001). Significant relation was confirmed between plasma and brain AlCl3 concentration during 6 (ρ = 0.926; p < 0.001), 12 (ρ = 0.983; p < 0.001) and 18 months (ρ = 0.906; p < 0.001). Morphological alterations mainly targeted the subgranular layer with modulation of the dentate gyrus appearance. This study highlights the toxic effect of AlCl3 on the brain which may affects learning and memory and seems to be different according to dose and duration of exposure.