[Abstract Title]. - Society for Neuroscience

Disclosures: C.E. Schnell, None; R.M.A. Napper, None; A.Y. Klintsova, None.
Poster
257. Alcohol Intake and Preference
Time: Sunday, November 16, 2008, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Program#/Poster#: 257.6/Z23
Topic: C.16.a. Alcohol
Support: AA015434
Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience at Binghamton University
Title: Binge-like alcohol intake is increased during early adolescence in C57BL/6J and DBA2/J
mice
Authors: *E. M. MOORE, J. N. MARIANI, L. C. BLACKMAN, D. N. LINSENBARDT, S. L.
BOEHM, II;
Psychology, Binghamton Univ., Binghamton, NY
Abstract: Alcohol use is a common occurrence during the adolescent years, a time at which a
number of crucial neurobiological, hormonal and behavioral changes occur. Binge-alcohol intake
is a particular problem during adolescence, comprising approximately 56% of drinking among
youth aged 12-17 years old in 2003. In order to more fully understand the complex interaction
between alcohol use and these age-typical neurobiological changes, animal models must be
utilized. Rodents experience a developmental period similar to that of adolescence. Although rat
models have shown striking adolescent-specific differences in sensitivity to ethanol, little work
has been done in mice despite the fact that the C57BL/6J (B6) and DBA2/J (D2) mice have been
shown to markedly differ in ethanol preference drinking and exhibit widely different sensitivities
to ethanol. The current study examined adolescent-specific voluntary binge-like alcohol drinking
patterns in B6 and D2 mice using a limited access alcohol exposure paradigm called Drinking in
the Dark (DID). We hypothesized that adolescent (P25-45) mice would exhibit greater binge-like
alcohol intake compared to adults (P60-80), and that B6 mice would exhibit greater binge-like
alcohol intake compared to D2 mice. Moreover, we predicted that relative difference in bingelike
alcohol intake between adolescents and adults would be greater in D2 mice. Results showed
that adolescents of both mouse strains consumed more alcohol than adults in this voluntary
binge-like alcohol intake model. However, this effect was most pronounced during early
adolescence (P25-32) with the relative difference between early adolescent and adult D2 mice
being greater than that of early adolescent and adult B6 mice. Future work will determine
whether binge-like alcohol exposure during adolescence in these strains increases alcohol intake