The neurotoxic effect of monosodium glutamate (MSG) on the retinal ganglion cells of the albino rat.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) administered postnatally to the albino rat causes extensive destruction of the retina. This MSG effect does not result in complete blindness. Ganglion cells surviving the MSG treatment are healthy and functional. Using retrogradely transported HRP and Nissl staining in whole mounted retinas, it was found that the ganglion cells left after MSG treatment are not smaller than those in controls, that these cells do not belong to one cell size group, and that no cells size group is selectively missed. The results explain why photic entrainment of MSG treated animals is still possible.