Histological evaluation of the effect of long-term exposure to lead acetate on the cerebellum of albino rats and the therapeutic effect of atropine sulfate

The aim of current study is to investigate the effects of long-term exposure to lead acetate on histological architecture of cerebellum in rat brains. 24 animals were used in the experiment, which distributed to 4 groups, group (G1) control group was administrated by distilled water 1 ml/kg body weight for one month. group (G2) was administrated by lead acetate 12 mg / kg body weight / 10 days for one month. (G3) was administrated by lead acetate 12 mg / kg body weight / 10 days for two months. (G4) was administrated by lead acetate 12 mg / kg body weight / 10 days for three months. The results of the second group showed the disintegration of the nerve fibers and with spongy appearance, with Purkinje cells atrophy in middle layer of the cerebellum and the sloughing of the meningeal membrane on the surface of the molecular layer of cerebellum, while the results of the third group showed presence of disintegration of the nerve fibers and their appearance was in the form of a network that contains congested blood capillaries surrounded by supporting glial cells and wide lumen devoid of any pigment. In addition, the granular layer contains small neurons with pale-staining nuclei and degeneration of the nerve fibers of the cerebellar medulla, while the results of the fourth group showed the occurrence of sloughing of the cerebellar folds from the surrounding meningeal membrane, with congested blood vessels between those folds.