Binge Ethanol Prior to Traumatic Brain Injury Worsens Sensorimotor Functional Recovery in Rats

Abstract

A significant number of patients suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI) have a high blood alcohol level at the time of injury. Furthermore, drinking alcohol in a binge-like pattern is now recognized as a national problem, leading to a greater likelihood of being injured. Our objective was to determine the consequences of a binge paradigm of alcohol intoxication at the time of TBI on long-term functional outcome using a sensitive test of sensorimotor function. We trained adult, male, Sprague Dawley rats on the skilled forelimb reaching task and then administered a single binge dose of ethanol (2g/kg, i.p.) or saline for three consecutive days (for a total of 3 doses). One hour after the final ethanol dose, rats underwent a TBI to the sensorimotor cortex corresponding to the preferred reaching forelimb. Animals were then tested for seven weeks on the skilled forelimb reaching task to assess the profile of recovery. We found that the group given ethanol prior to TBI displayed a slower recovery curve with a lower recovery plateau as compared to the control group. Therefore, even a relatively short (3 day) episode of binge alcohol exposure can negatively impact long-term recovery from a TBI, underscoring this significant public health problem.

Subventricular zone neural precursor cell responses after traumatic brain injury and binge alcohol in male rats

“…The mean BAL at the time of TBI was 156.1 mg/dl ± 8.3 mg/dl. This level is consistent with previous reports using the same animal strain, (Livy, Parnell, & West, ; Vaagenes et al, ) and is approximately twice the legal intoxication limit in humans (Olthuis et al, ).…”

“…Our group has shown that in a rat model of TBI and binge alcohol, recovery in a skilled sensorimotor task was slower and the recovery plateau was lower in alcohol-exposed animals (Vaagenes et al, 2015) as also reported in clinical studies (Corrigan, 1995;Gurney et al, 1992;Joseph et al, 2015;Schutte & Hanks, 2010) although others have found a benefit (Chandrasekar et al, 2018(Chandrasekar et al, , 2017Lundgaard et al, 2018).…”

“…The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines binge drinking as a mode of consumption that results in a BAL of greater than 80 mg/dl, which is typically achieved by having five drinks for men and four drinks for women in two hours (Olthuis, Zamboanga, Ham, & Tyne, ). Our group has shown that in a rat model of TBI and binge alcohol, recovery in a skilled sensorimotor task was slower and the recovery plateau was lower in alcohol‐exposed animals (Vaagenes et al, ) as also reported in clinical studies (Corrigan, ; Gurney et al, ; Joseph et al, ; Schutte & Hanks, ) although others have found a benefit (Chandrasekar et al, ; Lundgaard et al, ).…”

“…Controlled cortical impact (CCI) was performed as previously described (Vaagenes et al, ). Briefly, one hour after the last gavage administration, rats were anesthetized using 75 mg/ml of isoflurane delivered as an inhalant (5% isoflurane in 100% oxygen).…”

Impaired respiratory function and heightened pulmonary inflammation in episodic binge ethanol intoxication and burn injury

“…Additionally, weekend binge drinking is a pattern observed in many cultures (Lundqvist, Alling, Knoth, & Volk, 1995). To mirror this drinking pattern, our laboratory used a mouse model of episodic binge ethanol intoxication prior to burn injury (adapted from (Callaci et al, 2004), (Przybycien-Szymanska, Mott, & Pak, 2011; Przybycien-Szymanska, Rao, & Pak, 2010; Qin et al, 2014; Vaagenes et al, 2015)) to assess respiratory physiology and gain an understanding of the effect of intoxication on lung function after burn injury.…”