title: Sensitivity of modified Biel-maze task, compared with Y-maze task, to measure spatial learning and memory deficits of ethanol teratogenicity in the guinea pig.
abstract: Ethanol consumption during pregnancy can produce a variety of teratogenic effects in offspring, termed Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). The most debilitating and permanent consequence of chronic prenatal ethanol exposure (CPEE) is neurobehavioral teratogenicity, which often manifests as cognitive and behavioral impairments, including deficits in spatial learning and memory. This study tested the hypothesis that a modified dry-land version of the multi-choice Biel-maze task is more sensitive than the rewarded-alternation Y-maze task for the determination of spatial learning and memory deficits of ethanol teratogenicity. Pregnant guinea pigs received ethanol (4 g/kg maternal body weight/day) or isocaloric-sucrose/pair-feeding (control) for 5days/week throughout gestation. CPEE resulted in ethanol neurobehavioral teratogenicity in offspring, as demonstrated by increased spontaneous locomotor activity at postnatal day (PD) 10 and decreased brain weight at euthanasia (PD 150-200). On PD 21, offspring were randomly assigned to one of two tasks to assess spatial learning and memory performance: a dry-land version of the Biel maze or a rewarded-alternation Y-maze. Animals were habituated to the environment of their assigned task and performance of each CPEE or control offspring was measured. In the modified Biel maze, CPEE and control offspring were not different for percent completed trials or time to complete a trial. However, CPEE offspring made more errors (reversals and entering dead ends) in the Biel maze, demonstrating impaired spatial learning and memory. In contrast, CPEE offspring did not have impaired performance of the rewarded-alternation Y-maze task. Therefore, the modified dry-land version of the Biel-maze task, which measures cognitive performance using a complex multi-choice design, is more sensitive in demonstrating CPEE-induced spatial learning and memory deficits compared with a simple, rewarded-alternation Y-maze task.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Pharmacology and Toxicology Graduate Program, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada.
authors.forename: Christine C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Dobson
authors.forename: Daniel L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Mongillo
authors.forename: Margo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Poklewska-Koziell
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Winterborn
authors.forename: James F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Brien
authors.forename: James N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Reynolds
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000633:toxicity*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012201:Reward; D013028:Space Perception / Q000187:drug effects*; D013395:Sucrose / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D013549:Sweetening Agents; D000431:Ethanol; D013395:Sucrose