Proliferating cells within the forebrain SVZ were detected as a band of BrdU-IR cells outlining the frontal aspect of the lateral ventricles [Fig. 3a (inset), and b]. Proliferation was potently and biphasically modulated by chronic alcohol exposure (Fig. 3a ; main effect of time: F4,38=12.0, p<0.0001). Controls showed large numbers of BrdU-IR cells along the ventricles, that were markedly reduced by the end of alcohol exposure (p<0.001). A pronounced peak of proliferation compared to control levels was found 3 d into abstinence (p<0.001), followed by a decrease to levels that were numerically lower, but did not significantly differ from controls after 7 d as well as 21 d. The correlation of BrdU-IR and Ki67-IR was high also in this region (R=0.60, p<0.0001), and Ki67-IR followed a temporal pattern that closely paralleled that of BrdU-IR (Fig. 3c ; main effect of time: F4,40=4.5, p=0.00002).
