Changes in sensitivity to ethanol-induced social facilitation and social inhibition from early to late adolescence

Adolescent rats are more sensitive than adults to ethanol-induced social facilitation, but are less sensitive to the suppression of social interactions seen at higher ethanol doses. Given recent findings that point to age differences in ethanol responsiveness, even within the adolescent period, the present study assessed acute effects of low to moderate doses of ethanol on social behavior of early, mid- or late adolescent rats. Age-related changes in responsiveness to the effects of ethanol on social behavior were apparent even within the adolescent period, with early adolescents being more sensitive to ethanol-induced social facilitation and less sensitive to ethanol-induced social inhibition than mid- and late adolescents. Given that ethanol-induced social facilitation as well as a lower sensitivity to the adverse effects of ethanol may contribute to heavy drinking, this pattern of early adolescent responsiveness to ethanol's social consequences may put them at higher risk for extensive alcohol use.