neurogenesis by decreasing neural precursor cell proliferation, inhibiting cell survival and altering morphological maturation of newborn neurons (He et al. 2005). The initial suppression of SVZ neurogenesis following alcohol exposure occurred in the absence of effects on SOX2-positive cells, and may therefore be accounted for by similar mechanisms, while the subset of pluripotent SVZ stem cells expressing SOX2 is initially spared. Here, the initial suppression of SVZ neurogenesis following alcohol exposure occurred in the absence of effects on SOX2-positive cells, suggesting that SOX2-expressing stem cells are not sensitive to direct toxicity from alcohol, while more differentiated neural progenitors are.
