Neurofunctional Effects of Developmental Alcohol Exposure in Alcohol-Preferring and Alcohol-Nonpreferring Rats

Abstract

The neurofunctional effects of developmental alcohol exposure (3% v/v solution from day 15 of gestation to day 7 after parturition) have been investigated in Sardinian alcoholpreferring (sP) and alcohol-nonpreferring (sNP)

Genetic Factors Involved in the Effects of Developmental Low-Level Alcohol Induced Behavioral Alterations in Rats

“…A recent study in the present series has shown that offspring of Sardinian alcohol-preferring (sP) and Sardinian alcohol-nonpreferring (sNP) rats, selectively bred (from Wistar rats) for opposite alcohol preference and consumption, exhibited a different behavioral profile in response to perinatal exposure to this drug of abuse, at doses below those associated with gross malformations and/or overt neurotoxic effects (Tattoli et al 2001). Specifically, alcohol exposure significantly reduced the rate of ultrasonic emission in sP male pups, whereas it did not influence this indicator of emotional reactivity in sNP neonates.…”

“…Specifically, alcohol exposure significantly reduced the rate of ultrasonic emission in sP male pups, whereas it did not influence this indicator of emotional reactivity in sNP neonates. Therefore, it appeared of interest to further investigate the effects of developmental alcohol exposure in the sP and sNP lines, using both some of the offspring from litters of the study just mentioned (Tattoli et al 2001) and the offspring of additional litters. As in the previous study, the aim was to investigate the consequences of a low level alcohol exposure clearly under the threshold for gross toxic and/ or teratogenic effects, but still capable to provide information on the pathogenesis of ARNDs falling short of the fully fledged Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS).…”

“…In this regard, it could be hypothesized that the decreased rate of ultrasonic emission observed in sP-A pups exposed to alcohol during development (Tattoli et al 2001) might influence their performance in this test.…”

“…On the basis of the aforementioned findings (Tattoli et al 2001) concerning the reduction by developmental alcohol exposure of emotional reactivity in sP, but not in sNP neonates, the intent was to check whether or not a similar differential effects profile would persist over time (i.e., at 3 and 6 months).…”

“…Since the mesolimbic dopaminergic system plays an important role in the regulation of rat sexual behavior (Gessa and Tagliamonte 1975) and differences in DA levels between sP and sNP rats (not affected by developmental alcohol exposure) have been found in the nucleus accumbens (Tattoli et al 2001), the intent was to verify whether adult sexual behavior would be similarly or differentially affected by early alcohol exposure in the two lines. This included the analysis of ultrasonic vocalization during copulatory activity of male offspring, which is considered a sensitive detector of subtle changes in sexual motivation (Cagiano et al 1989a,b).…”