Repeated cycles of binge-like ethanol exposure induce immediate and delayed neurobehavioral changes and hippocampal dysfunction in adolescent female rats.

Repeated cycles of binge-like ethanol exposure induce immediate and delayed neurobehavioral changes and hippocampal dysfunction in adolescent female rats.
Behav Brain Res. 2018 May 09;:
Authors: Fernandes LMP, Cartágenes SC, Barros MA, Carvalheiro TCVS, de Freitas Castro NC, Schamne MG, Lima RR, Prediger RD, Monteiro MC, Enéas AF, Cunha RA, Maia CSF
Abstract
Binge-like ethanol intake (BEI) is a socioeconomical problem among adolescents and increasingly affects women. BEI can leave a long-term imprint in the brain, but it is unknown if its effect on cognition and anxiety is cumulative on repeated binge-ethanol episodes. We now submitted female Wistar rats to repeated cycles of binge-like ethanol treatment by intragastrically administering ethanol (3.0 g/kg/day, 20% w/v ethanol; 3 days on/4 days off) starting at postnatal day 35 (PND35). To investigate the short-term effects of BEI during adolescence, rats underwent 1 or 4 cycles of BEI, being evaluated at PND37 and PND58, respectively: both groups displayed anxiety-like behavior in the open field and elevated plus-maze tests, as well as short-term memory deficits in the object recognition task; this was associated with transient decreases of BDNF levels and increases of GFAP levels in the hippocampus. To evaluate the short- and long-lasting effects of BEI in adulthood, rats were subjected to 8 cycles of BEI and evaluated after 7.5 h (PND86) or after 14 days of ethanol withdrawal...

Source: Behavioural Brain Research - May 9, 2018 Category: Neurology Authors: Fernandes LMP, Cartágenes SC, Barros MA, Carvalheiro TCVS, de Freitas Castro NC, Schamne MG, Lima RR, Prediger RD, Monteiro MC, Enéas AF, Cunha RA, Maia CSF Tags: Behav Brain Res Source Type: research