Early Postnatal Ethanol Exposure in Mice Induces Sex-Dependent Memory Impairment and Reduction of Hippocampal NMDA-R2B Expression in Adulthood. (10th February 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ieraci, Alessandro; Herrera, Daniel G.
• Is Part Of: Neuroscience. Volume 427(2020)
• Page Start: 105
• Page End: 115
• Publication Date: 2020-02-10
• Subjects: fetal alcohol syndrome -- brain-derived neurotrophic factor -- NMDA -- rodents -- hyperactivity -- sex difference; Neurochemistry -- Periodicals; Neurophysiology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Neurochimie -- Périodiques; Neurophysiologie -- Périodiques; Neurochemistry; Neurophysiology; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 612.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.11.045
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-4522

Abstract

Highlights: Postnatal ethanol exposure induces long-lasting hyperactivity in both adult male and female mice. Postnatal ethanol exposure promotes hippocampal memory impairments only in adult male mice. Postnatal ethanol exposure increased hippocampal BDNF expression both in adult male and female mice. Postnatal ethanol exposure reduces hippocampal NMDA-R2A expression only in adult male mice. Abstract: Drinking alcohol during pregnancy is particularly detrimental for the developing brain and may cause a broad spectrum of cognitive and behavioral impairments, collectively known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). While behavioral abnormalities and brain damage have been widely investigated in animal models of FASD, the sex differences in the vulnerability to perinatal ethanol exposure have received less consideration. Here we investigated the long-term behavioral and molecular effects of acute ethanol-binge like exposure during the early postnatal period (equivalent to the third trimester of human pregnancy) in adult male and female mice. CD1 mice received a single ethanol exposure on P7 and were analyzed starting from P60. We found that ethanol-exposed mice showed increased activity in the open field test and in the plus-maze test, regardless of the sex. Interestingly, only ethanol-exposed adult male mice exhibited memory impairment in the water maze and fear-conditioning tests. Remarkably, hippocampal levels of NMDA-R2B were reduced only in ethanol-exposed male, while total BDNF levels were increased in both male and female ethanol-exposed mice. Our data suggest a different susceptibility of early postnatal ethanol exposure in male and female CD1 mice.