Prenatal ethanol exposure in rats: long-lasting effects on learning.
Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a liquid diet containing either 0% (group C), 18% (group L), or 36% (group H) ethanol-derived calories (EDC) from gestational day 1 to 20. Male offspring were assessed under a conditioned taste aversion paradigm (PND 35-45), in a complex maze (PND 68-80), and for operant behavior (temporal response differentiation and motivation to work for food, PND 140-198). Although conditioned taste aversion was fully acquired by all groups, retention of the conditioned taste aversion response was impaired in group H animals. Importantly, deficits in the acquisition of timing behavior were found in group H (group L not tested), confirming that this operant task is quite sensitive in detecting prenatal drug effects and demonstrating that neurological effects of prenatal ethanol exposure persist into late adulthood.
Clausing
P
P
Division of Neurotoxicology, National Center for Toxicological Research, Jefferson, AR 72079-9502, USA.
Ferguson
S A
SA
Holson
R R
RR
Allen
R R
RR
Paule
M G
MG
D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors
D000431:Ethanol