Prenatal alcohol exposure alters enkephalin levels, without affecting ethanol preference.
Pregnant dams were pair-fed a liquid diet containing 35% ethanol derived calories or isocaloric sucrose during the last two trimesters of pregnancy. No differences were observed in adult ethanol preference between fetal alcohol exposed (FAE) animals and pair-fed controls. However, Met- and Leu-enkephalin levels were significantly elevated in globus pallidus of adult FAE animals. Pituitary levels were unaffected.
D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000818:Animals; D004743:Enkephalin, Leucine / Q000032:analysis; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine / Q000032:analysis; D004745:Enkephalins / Q000032:analysis*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000187:drug effects; D005917:Globus Pallidus / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000032:analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D004745:Enkephalins; D000431:Ethanol; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine; D004743:Enkephalin, Leucine