Nissl stain expression in the neonatal mice occipital cortex after prenatal ketamine exposure

Background: The occipital cortex is positioned on the back of the brain, and it is responsible for processing visual information. Ketamine is a drug used as an anesthetic. Common anesthetics can cause neurotoxicity, with the occipital cortex being one of the most vulnerable areas. Aim: To estimate the histological alteration in the occipital cortices of newborn mice receiving ketamine injections at therapeutic doses during pregnancy. Methodology: This study involved 30 pregnant female mice (8–12 weeks old), who are split into two groups: the experimental group, given 50 mg/kg ketamine hydrochloride intraperitoneally, and the control group, given distal water intraperitoneally. The mice were then subjected to a paraffin wax embedding procedure, and their neural tissue was examined using a Cresyl violet stain. The results were analyzed using the Spss software and the independent t-test. Results: Significant variability was seen when the number of cells in the mice's occipital cerebral cortex after ketamine injection during pregnancy was compared. In the control group, the difference between the mean of the superficial layer and the deep layer is 85.4%, while in the experimental group, the difference between the two layers is 85.1%. In this study, there was significant variability in the number of cells between the control groups (Mean ± SD) is 1326±14.4 cells and the experimental group (Mean ± SD) is798.06 ±26.9 cells in the occipital cortex. In calculation, the experimental newborn mice's occipital cortex showed apoptotic alterations following a ketamine injection during pregnancy. Conclusion: The experimental newborn mice’s occipital cortex showed apoptotic alterations following a ketamine injection during pregnancy. These results are in line with growing concerns regarding the neurotoxic effects of anesthetic drugs on the developing brain.