PH2 -- The effect of in ovo nicotine treatment on grey matter thickness in chicken embryonic brains
Document Type
Event
Abstract
Maternal smoking during pregnancy is known to have negative impacts on the development of the fetus. Nicotine is one of the substances found in cigarettes that has been shown to lead to developmental abnormalities in various organs, including the heart, lungs, and brain. One study examining brain tissue found that the grey matter volume decreased in adult individuals who smoked versus those who did not smoke. Another study showed abnormal axial rotation in chicken embryos treated with nicotine. However, there has not been any studies to see if there is a direct impact of nicotine on the grey matter in chick embryos. In this study, we looked at the effects of nicotine exposure on the grey matter thickness in chicken embryos. Fertilized chicken eggs were injected in ovo on embryonic day 3 (E3) with either a 0.67% nicotine or 1.0% nicotine solution. On E17, the brains were extracted, processed, and sliced. The grey matter thickness of cerebral cortex was then measured. A one-way ANOVA showed significant differences between the group means. The grey matter thickness decreased significantly between the control and the 0.67% nicotine group (p<0.01) and the control and the 1.0% nicotine group (p<0.01). There was also a significant decrease between the two treatment groups (p<0.05). In our study, it can be concluded that increasing concentration of nicotine decreases grey matter thickness in the brain of embryonic chickens. Our results are consistent with previous studies that showed decreased grey matter volume in adult smokers versus adult non-smokers as well as studies that showed neural developmental defects in chicken embryos exposed to nicotine.
Keywords
Physiology
PH2 -- The effect of in ovo nicotine treatment on grey matter thickness in chicken embryonic brains
URC Greatroom
Maternal smoking during pregnancy is known to have negative impacts on the development of the fetus. Nicotine is one of the substances found in cigarettes that has been shown to lead to developmental abnormalities in various organs, including the heart, lungs, and brain. One study examining brain tissue found that the grey matter volume decreased in adult individuals who smoked versus those who did not smoke. Another study showed abnormal axial rotation in chicken embryos treated with nicotine. However, there has not been any studies to see if there is a direct impact of nicotine on the grey matter in chick embryos. In this study, we looked at the effects of nicotine exposure on the grey matter thickness in chicken embryos. Fertilized chicken eggs were injected in ovo on embryonic day 3 (E3) with either a 0.67% nicotine or 1.0% nicotine solution. On E17, the brains were extracted, processed, and sliced. The grey matter thickness of cerebral cortex was then measured. A one-way ANOVA showed significant differences between the group means. The grey matter thickness decreased significantly between the control and the 0.67% nicotine group (p<0.01) and the control and the 1.0% nicotine group (p<0.01). There was also a significant decrease between the two treatment groups (p<0.05). In our study, it can be concluded that increasing concentration of nicotine decreases grey matter thickness in the brain of embryonic chickens. Our results are consistent with previous studies that showed decreased grey matter volume in adult smokers versus adult non-smokers as well as studies that showed neural developmental defects in chicken embryos exposed to nicotine.