Effect of acamprosate on neonatal excitotoxic cortical lesions in in utero alcohol-exposed hamsters

Alcohol exposition during pregnancy has irreversible effects on the fetus brain. In hamsters, intrapallial injection of the glutamate receptor agonist ibotenic acid (100 ng) on the day of birth (P0) induced neuronal migration disorders. In utero alcohol (7%) exposure from day 5 of gestation to P5, enhanced lesions size measured in pups' brain at P5. The administration for the same period of the taurine derivative acamprosate together with alcohol or in water to pregnant females reduced the rate of occurrence of nodular heterotopia, sub-pial ectopia and microgyria in non-alcohol-exposed pups. In addition acamprosate diminished lesion size in alcohol-exposed and non-exposed pups. A significant dose-related effect of acamprosate was observed. In addition, acamprosate rescued 27% of the pups injected with 10 μg ibotenic acid, a lethal dose in alcohol-exposed animals.