title: Paternal alcohol consumption affects grooming response in rat offspring.
abstract: Grooming behavior in response to novelty and water immersion was examined in rat offspring sired by males consuming liquid alcohol diets containing 35%, 17.5% or 0% ethanol-derived calories (EDC). In the first study, offspring were tested at 35-38 days of age under conditions of lights on or off. Offspring in the 35% EDC group groomed less than controls. Lighting conditions did not affect grooming significantly. In the second study, animals were immersed in a water bath for 15 seconds and were then placed in the same observation chambers. As in the previous study, animals sired by alcohol-consuming fathers groomed considerably less than controls. These results were interpreted as suggesting offspring sired by alcohol-consuming fathers have a blunted response to conditions which spontaneously elicit behavior like grooming or ambulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI.
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Abel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000187:drug effects*; D006120:Grooming / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol