Background: Pregabalin is an oral medication that is used to treat neuropathic pain, generalized anxiety disorder and epilepsy; as a therapy for partial seizures. Cerebellar development is not complete during gestation only; but continues after birth to maturation of the cerebellum (postnatal development).
Aim of the Work: To study the possible effect of Pregabalin on the postnatal development of the cerebellar cortex of albino rat.
Material and Methods: 60 pregnant albino rats were allocated into three groups; Group A: Included 20offspring of 20 control mothers, Group B: Included 20 offspring of 20 mothers treated orally with pregabalin at a dose of 150mg/kg, and Group C:included 25 offspring of 20 mothers treated orally with pregabalin at a dose of 600mg/kg. In the three groups rats were sacrificed at postnatal (age 1, 2, 3 weeks), in addition to adult age (2.5 months).The skulls were opened and the cerebella were removed and processed for light and transmission electron microscope.
Results: Pregabalin administration during pregnancy and lactation caused its marked effect during early postnatal life and this effect extended till the adult stage; in the form of increase in the external granular layer (mainly in the 2nd and 3rd weeks); less thickness of the molecular layer in all treated groups; shrunken and abnormal shaped Purkinje cells which appeared with ill-defined cell membranes and destructed nuclei; mainly at higher dose. There were also delayed differentiation of the internal granular layer and granule cells appeared with destructed cytoplasmic membrane and organelles which appeared prominent at higher doses.
Conclusion: Pre and postnatal administration of pregabalin in both low and high doses caused loss of cellular components, distortions of cerebellar cortical cells in a dose dependent manner.