title: Ethanol during adolescence decreased the BDNF levels in the hippocampus in adult male Wistar rats, but did not alter aggressive and anxiety-like behaviors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of ethanol exposure in adolescent rats during adulthood by assesssing aggression and anxiety-like behaviors and measuring the levels of inflammatory markers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Groups of male Wistar rats (mean weight 81.4 g, n = 36) were housed in groups of four until postnatal day (PND) 60. From PNDs 30 to 46, rats received one of three treatments: 3 g/kg of ethanol (15% w/v, orally, n = 16), 1.5 g/kg of ethanol (12.5% w/v, PO, n = 12), or water (n = 12) every 48 hours. Animals were assessed for aggressive behavior (resident x intruder test) and anxiety-like behaviors (elevated plus maze) during adulthood.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Animals that received low doses of alcohol showed reduced levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus as compared to the control group. No significant difference was found in prefrontal cortex.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intermittent exposure to alcohol during adolescence is associated with lower levels of BDNF in the hippocampus, probably due the episodic administration of alcohol, but alcohol use did not alter the level agression toward a male intruder or anxiety-like behaviors during the adult phase.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Letícia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Scheidt
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gabriel Rodrigo
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Fries
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stertz
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: João Carlos Centurion
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Cabral
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Flávio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kapczinski
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rosa Maria Martins
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: de Almeida
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology; D063425:Binge Drinking / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D053582:Interleukin-1alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012309:Risk-Taking; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D053582:Interleukin-1alpha; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D000431:Ethanol