Maternal alcohol consumption and undernutrition in the rat: effects on gangliosides and their catabolizing enzymes in the CNS of the newborn.

Consumption of fifteen percent alcohol, during gestation did not cause any decrease in the total calorie or fluid intake of the rats maintained on normal dietary regimen. However, the alcohol consumption by gestating mothers resulted in a decreased contents of both DNA and protein in the CNS of the in utero alcohol exposed pups at birth. DNA content was also found to be less in the undernourished pups compared to the normal pups. On the other hand an increase in the total gangliosides and a decrease in the ganglioside catabolizing enzymes was observed in the brain and spinal cord of alcoholic pups at birth. However undernutrition resulted in a decrease in the content of total gangliosides both in brain and spinal cord. Maternal alcohol consumption and undernutrition had also resulted in an altered proportions of the individual ganglioside fractions.