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Neural Perturbations Associated With Recurrent Binge Alcohol in Male and Female Rats
Background Binge drinking, characterized by brief periods of high intoxication interspersed with periods of abstinence, appears to be particularly damaging to the brain. Binge drinking is increasing among American women, yet few preclinical studies have assessed sex differences in the neurobehaviora...
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| Published in: | Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research clinical and experimental research, 2021-02, Vol.45 (2), p.365-374 |
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| Main Authors: | , , |
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Subjects: | |
| Citations: | Items that this one cites Items that cite this one |
| Online Access: | Get full text |
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| Summary: | Background
Binge drinking, characterized by brief periods of high intoxication interspersed with periods of abstinence, appears to be particularly damaging to the brain. Binge drinking is increasing among American women, yet few preclinical studies have assessed sex differences in the neurobehavioral effects of binge alcohol.
Methods
Adult Long–Evans rats were administered 4 g/kg ethanol (EtOH; or an isocaloric control dose) via intragastric gavage once‐weekly. Brains were collected after 3 or 8 binge doses, and immunohistochemistry for mature neurons (NeuN), microglia (Iba1), neurogenesis (DCX), and reactive astrogliosis (vimentin) performed. Stereology was used to quantify target cell populations in the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). In a separate cohort of animals, cognition (spatial navigation and reversal learning), affect (tickling‐evoked ultrasonic vocalizations), and task‐induced c‐fos activation were assessed after 3 or 8 binge doses.
Results
Blood EtOH concentration did not differ significantly between females (175 ± 3.6 mg/dl) and males (180 ± 3.7 mg/dl) and did not change significantly over time, indicating that tolerance did not develop. After 3 or 8 binge doses, the number of granule neurons in the hippocampal dentate gyrus of both sexes was significantly reduced in comparison with controls, although there was no binge effect on newly generated neurons. Moreover, 8 (but not 3) binge doses significantly increased the total number of microglia and the number of partially activated microglia in the hippocampus and mPFC in both sexes. There was no detectable reactive astrogliosis (vimentin) in either region at any timepoint. There was no effect of binge alcohol on behavior outcomes in either sex, but binged rats showed increased cellular activation in the mPFC following reversal learning.
Conclusions
Our data indicate that recurrent binge alcohol results in similar neural damage and neuroimmune activation in alcohol‐vulnerable corticolimbic brain regions in males and females.
Few preclinical studies have assessed sex differences in the neural effects of binge alcohol. Adult rats were administered a binge dose weekly for 3 or 8 weeks. In both sexes, hippocampal cell loss was significant after 3 weeks. After 8 (but not 3) weeks, there was a significant increase in microglia and partially activated microglia in corticolimbic brain regions. In sum, recurrent binge causes cell loss and progressively increasing neuroimmune activation |
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| ISSN: | 0145-6008 1530-0277 |
| DOI: | 10.1111/acer.14529 |