Increased ethanol intake after prenatal ethanol exposure: studies with animals.
This review analyses the most relevant studies in which ethanol intake was measured after prenatal exposure to the drug. Despite the variety in methodology, in most such studies this prenatal experience induced a higher consumption of ethanol. Several variables that may affect the expression of this phenomenon are discussed, such as gender, age at testing, period of ethanol exposure, ethanol dose and conditions during the test. The mechanisms proposed in all these studies to explain the increased ethanol intake effect are also discussed. Some of these mechanisms are related to the teratological effects of the drug on the neurochemical systems involved in the reinforcing effects of abuse drugs, as well as on the regulatory systems of stress response. Another explanation of this phenomenon is also proposed in terms of associative learning. Specifically, the increased ethanol intake effect may be the result of a conditioned preference for ethanol acquired by the fetus when exposed to the drug during the last days of gestation.
Chotro
M Gabriela
MG
Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), San Sebastián, Spain. g.chotro@ehu.es
Arias
Carlos
C
Laviola
Giovanni
G
D000367:Age Factors; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000431:Ethanol; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012737:Sex Factors
D000431:Ethanol