title: Attention, impulsivity, and cognitive flexibility in adult male rats exposed to ethanol binge during adolescence as measured in the five-choice serial reaction time task: the effects of task and ethanol challenges.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alcohol abuse is prevalent in adolescent humans, but the long-term behavioral consequences of binge alcohol drinking are unknown.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated the long-term effects of adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) exposure on attention and impulsivity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adolescent male rats were exposed to 5 g/kg of 25% (v/w) ethanol every 8 h for 4 days. During adulthood, rats were tested in the five-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT) assessing attention, impulsivity and cognitive flexibility.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no metabolic tolerance to ethanol in adolescent rats during AIE exposure. In the 5-CSRTT under baseline conditions, there were no differences between AIE-exposed and control rats in accuracy, omissions, or premature responses, although AIE-exposed rats tended to make more timeout responses than control rats. The short-duration stimulus challenge decreased accuracy and increased omissions and timeout responses in both AIE-exposed and control rats. The long intertrial interval challenge increased premature responses in all rats. An ethanol challenge decreased correct responses, and increased omissions in control, but not in AIE-exposed, rats. Control, but not AIE-exposed, rats exhibited decreased premature and timeout responses after ethanol administration. Response latencies were not affected in AIE-exposed or control rats indicating no sedative effects of ethanol challenge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that ethanol binge exposure during adolescence has long-lasting neurobehavioral consequences, which persist into adulthood and can be revealed after re-exposure to ethanol. AIE-induced diminished responses to the disruptive effects of ethanol on attention, impulsivity and cognitive flexibility may lead to increased alcohol drinking and other maladaptive behaviors in adulthood.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, M/C 0603, La Jolla, CA 92093-0603, USA. ssemenova@ucsd.edu
authors: Svetlana
authors: S
authors: Semenova
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects*; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000506:poisoning*; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D012691:Serial Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol