Effect of Gestational Diabetes on Purkinje and Granule Cells Distribution of the Rat Cerebellum in 21 and 28 days of Postnatal Life

introduction: diabetes mellitus is associated with nervous system alterations in both humanand animal models. this study was done to determine the effect of gestational diabetes on thepurkinje and granular cells in the cerebellum of rat offspring. methods: 10 wistar rats dams were randomly allocated in control and diabetic group. theexperimental group received 40 mg/kg/body weight of streptozotocin (stz) at the first day ofgestation and control groups received saline injection intraperitoneally (ip). six male offspringsof gestational diabetic mothers and control dams, at the 21, 28 postnatal days were randomlyscarified and coronal sections of cerebellum (6 micrometer) serially collected. the neurons werestained with cresyl violet. results: the purkinje cells density in the apex and depth of cerebellum in p21, in the experimentalgroup was reduced 23% and 15% in comparison with the control group (p<0.001). the granularcells density in the experimental group was reduced 19.58% and 18.3% in comparison withthe controls (p<0.001). the purkinje cells density of cerebellum in p28, in the diabetic groupreduced to 22.12% and 12.62% in comparison with the control group (p<0.001). the granularcells density in the diabetic group reduced 17.14% and 16.12% in comparison with the controlgroup (p<0.001). discussion: the purkinje and granular cells significantly reduced in gestational diabetes ratoffspring.