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Prenatal ethanol exposure impairs executive function in mice into adulthood
Kristin Marquardt1, Rahul Sigdel, Kevin Caldwell
1Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research
|January 13, 2015
Summary
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) in mice impairs cognitive flexibility in adulthood, specifically during the early phase of reversal learning. This suggests even moderate alcohol exposure during development can impact executive functions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is linked to cognitive, social, and emotional impairments.
- Drinking during pregnancy persists despite known risks, possibly due to conflicting evidence on low-intake effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of PAE on learning and executive control in adult offspring.
- To examine how moderate alcohol exposure during gestation impacts cognitive flexibility.
Main Methods:
- Pregnant mice voluntarily consumed a 10% alcohol solution during gestation.
- Offspring (male and female) were tested as adults on a touch-screen discrimination and reversal task.
- The task assessed associative learning and cognitive flexibility mediated by corticostriatal circuits.
Main Results:
- PAE did not cause gross morphological, motor, or sensory alterations.
- PAE did not impair associative learning but led to significant deficits in early reversal learning.
- PAE offspring exhibited increased maladaptive perseverative responses during reversal tasks.
Conclusions:
- Executive control deficits observed in PAE are consistent with clinical findings in adolescents.
- Moderate prenatal alcohol exposure can result in lasting cognitive impairments, particularly affecting executive functions like cognitive flexibility.
