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Unconditional Properties of ethanol during the course of an acute intoxication: Effects of prenatal ethanol exposition.

 Pautassi Ricardo, Godoy Juan C. & Molina Juan C.

Instituto Ferreyra, Córdoba, Argentina.

 Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, Vol.21, N°2, 2001, pp.154

Abstract

 In the rat, early in ontogeny, ethanol intoxication implies differential properties concerning its capacity to generate inhibitory as well excitatory aversive conditioned responses to stimuli presented during the course of the toxic episode. The aim of this work was to replicate this result and to evaluate whether prenatal alcohol experience interacts with these early postnatal effects. In Experiment 1, 14-day-old pups were distributed in two groups. Experimental pups were exposed to a tactile cue during early stages of the alcohol-induced toxic process (5-15 min. post-administration of 2,5 g/kg EtOH dose). When blood alcohol levels reached peak levels (25-35 min. post-administration) pups were intraorally stimulated with saccharine. Controls subjects received similar experiences as did the experimental subjects but when sober. Alcohol-mediated conditioned saccharin aversions were in experimental subjects. This response was inhibited whenever saccharin intake was evaluated under the presence of the tactile cue presented at commencement of the alcohol-toxic state. A second experiment showed that this profile is not affected by prenatal experiences involving alcohol intoxication  (2.0 g/kg) during late gestation (gestational days 17-20). The present results indicate that: i) during early postnatal life it is possible to detect differential effects of ethanol in terms of its capability to establish conditioned responses to exteroceptive stimuli and ii) prenatal exposure to this psychopharmacological agent does not modifiy the capability of alcohol in terms of supporting infantile conditioned responses.