Behavioral deficits induced by bingelike exposure to alcohol in neonatal rats: importance of developmental timing and number of episodes. 1996

J D Thomas, and E A Wasserman, and J R West, and C R Goodlett
Department of Psychology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA.

The importance of the timing and number of episodes of bingelike alcohol exposure in neonatal rats on subsequent behavioral outcomes was evaluated with a parallel bar task and a spatial conditional alternation task. Different groups of Sprague-Dawley rat pups were exposed to alcohol delivered via artificial rearing procedures either on postnatal Days (PD) 4 and 5, on PD 8 and 9, or on both PD 4/5 and 8/9 (Combined), producing daily peak blood alcohol concentrations around 400 mg/dl. Controls included an artificially reared group and a normally reared group. Exposure during PD 4/5 produced significantly more severe motor deficits and significantly more severe reductions in cerebellar and brainstem weights than did exposure on PD 8/9. Combined exposure produced greater deficits on these measures than either of the limited exposures. Significant deficits in the acquisition rates for conditional alternation were found only with the Combined exposure, although both the PD 8/9 and Combined groups committed significantly more within-trial errors. All three alcohol treatments produced significant and comparable reductions in forebrain weight. The type and severity of behavioral and neural deficits induced by neonatal bingelike alcohol exposure depend on the timing and number of exposures.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D009048 Motor Skills Performance of complex motor acts. Motor Skill,Skill, Motor,Skills, Motor
D009929 Organ Size The measurement of an organ in volume, mass, or heaviness. Organ Volume,Organ Weight,Size, Organ,Weight, Organ
D009949 Orientation Awareness of oneself in relation to time, place and person. Cognitive Orientation,Mental Orientation,Psychological Orientation,Cognitive Orientations,Mental Orientations,Orientation, Cognitive,Orientation, Mental,Orientation, Psychological,Orientations,Orientations, Cognitive,Orientations, Mental,Orientations, Psychological,Psychological Orientations
D011247 Pregnancy The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH. Gestation,Pregnancies
D011939 Mental Recall The process whereby a representation of past experience is elicited. Recall, Mental
D001933 Brain Stem The part of the brain that connects the CEREBRAL HEMISPHERES with the SPINAL CORD. It consists of the MESENCEPHALON; PONS; and MEDULLA OBLONGATA. Brainstem,Truncus Cerebri,Brain Stems,Brainstems,Cerebri, Truncus,Cerebrus, Truncus,Truncus Cerebrus
D002531 Cerebellum The part of brain that lies behind the BRAIN STEM in the posterior base of skull (CRANIAL FOSSA, POSTERIOR). It is also known as the "little brain" with convolutions similar to those of CEREBRAL CORTEX, inner white matter, and deep cerebellar nuclei. Its function is to coordinate voluntary movements, maintain balance, and learn motor skills. Cerebella,Corpus Cerebelli,Parencephalon,Cerebellums,Parencephalons
D004305 Dose-Response Relationship, Drug The relationship between the dose of an administered drug and the response of the organism to the drug. Dose Response Relationship, Drug,Dose-Response Relationships, Drug,Drug Dose-Response Relationship,Drug Dose-Response Relationships,Relationship, Drug Dose-Response,Relationships, Drug Dose-Response
D004924 Escape Reaction Innate response elicited by sensory stimuli associated with a threatening situation, or actual confrontation with an enemy. Flight Reaction,Escape Reactions,Flight Reactions,Reaction, Escape,Reaction, Flight,Reactions, Escape,Reactions, Flight

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