Binge Drinking Prior to Pregnancy Detection in a Nonhuman Primate: Behavioral Evaluation of Offspring. (24th October 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Golub, Mari S.; Hogrefe, Casey E.; VandeVoort, Catherine A.
• Is Part Of: Alcoholism. Volume 38:Number 2(2014:Feb.)
• Page Start: 551
• Page End: 556
• Publication Date: 2013-10-24
• Subjects: Alcoholism -- Periodicals; Alcoholism -- Periodicals; Alcoolisme; Electronic journals; Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 616.861005
• DOI: 10.1111/acer.12267
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0145-6008

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="acer12267-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="acer12267-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>Minimal scientific information is available to inform public health policy on binge drinking prior to pregnancy detection. The nonhuman primate provides a valuable animal model for examining consequences to reproduction and offspring function that may result from this common pattern of alcohol abuse.</p> </sec> <sec id="acer12267-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>Adult female rhesus monkeys were dosed with 1.5 g/kg per day ethanol (EtOH) by gavage 2 d/wk beginning 7 months prior to mating and continuing to pregnancy detection at 19 to 20 days gestation. Postnatal evaluation of control (<italic>n</italic> = 6) and EtOH‐treated (<italic>n</italic> = 4) infants included a neonatal neurobehavioral assessment, a visual paired comparison (cognitive) test at 35 days of age, and mother–infant interaction at 100 to 112 days of age.</p> </sec> <sec id="acer12267-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Alcohol‐exposed neonates did not differ from controls in posture and reflex measures. Longer durations of visual fixation, suggesting slower visual processing, and greater novelty preference were seen in the alcohol group. At early weaning age, as infants spent more time away from their dams, more of the reunions between mother and infant were initiated by the mothers in the alcohol‐exposed group, suggesting a more immature mother–infant interaction.</p> </sec> <sec id="acer12267-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>Intermittent high‐dose alcohol exposure (binge drinking) discontinued at early pregnancy detection in rhesus monkey can result in altered behavioral function in the infant. Mediating effects on ovum, reproductive tract, and early embryo can be explored in this model. Studies of longer‐term consequences in human populations and animal models are needed.</p> </sec> </abstract>