Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 23, 2026
The Use of Trace Eyeblink Classical Conditioning to Assess Hippocampal Dysfunction in a Rat Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Published on: August 5, 2017
Adolescent Choline Supplementation Attenuates Working Memory Deficits in Rats Exposed to Alcohol During the Third
Ronald D Schneider1, Jennifer D Thomas1
1Department of Psychology (RDS, JDT), Center for Behavioral Teratology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California.
Insights
Adolescent choline supplementation partially mitigated behavioral deficits from prenatal alcohol exposure in rats. This dietary intervention shows promise for treating some fetal alcohol spectrum disorder effects later in life.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Prenatal alcohol exposure can cause lifelong behavioral and cognitive deficits.
- Choline supplementation during development may counteract some alcohol-induced effects.
- The efficacy of late-stage choline administration for mitigating prenatal alcohol exposure consequences is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if choline supplementation during adolescence/young adulthood can reduce the adverse effects of prenatal alcohol exposure.
- To determine the impact of late-stage choline administration on behavioral and cognitive outcomes in a rodent model.
Main Methods:
- Sprague-Dawley rats received alcohol during brain development (postnatal days 4-9).
- Choline chloride or vehicle was administered during adolescence/young adulthood (postnatal days 40-60).
- Behavioral testing included open field activity, spatial learning (Morris water maze), and spatial working memory.
Main Results:
- Alcohol-exposed rats exhibited hyperactivity and impaired spatial learning and working memory.
- Choline treatment did not improve activity levels or spatial learning.
- Choline supplementation significantly improved spatial working memory, suggesting prefrontal cortex involvement.
Conclusions:
- Adolescent choline supplementation can attenuate specific behavioral deficits caused by prenatal alcohol exposure.
- Dietary interventions with choline may offer therapeutic benefits for individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, even when initiated later in life.
Background:
Children exposed to alcohol prenatally may suffer from behavioral and cognitive alterations that adversely affect their quality of life. Animal studies have shown that perinatal supplementation with the nutrient choline can attenuate ethanol's adverse effects on development; however, it is not clear how late in development choline can be administered and still effectively reduce the consequences of prenatal alcohol exposure. Using a rodent model, this study examined whether choline supplementation is effective in mitigating alcohol's teratogenic effects when administered during adolescence/young adulthood.
Methods:
Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to alcohol (5.25 g/kg/d) during the third trimester equivalent brain growth spurt, which occurs from postnatal day (PD) 4 to 9, via oral intubation. Sham-intubated and nontreated controls were included. Subjects were treated with 100 mg/kg/d choline chloride or vehicle from PD 40 to 60, a period equivalent to young adulthood in the rat. After the choline treatment had ceased, subjects were tested on a series of behavioral tasks: open field activity (PD 61 to 64), Morris water maze spatial learning (PD 65 to 73), and spatial working memory (PD 87 to 91).
Results:
Ethanol-exposed subjects were overactive in the activity chambers and impaired on both the spatial and the working memory versions of the Morris water maze. Choline treatment failed to attenuate alcohol-related overactivity in the open field and deficits in Morris water maze performance. In contrast, choline supplementation significantly mitigated alcohol-related deficits in working memory, which may suggest that choline administration at this later developmental time affects functioning of the prefrontal cortex.
Conclusions:
The results indicate that adolescent choline supplementation can attenuate some, but not all, of the behavioral deficits associated with early developmental alcohol exposure. The results of this study indicate that dietary intervention may reduce some fetal alcohol effects, even when administered later in life, findings with important implications for adolescents and young adults with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:30Cognitive Enhancers: Cholinesterase Inhibitors and NMDA Receptor Antagonists
01:23Role of Neurotransmitters in Memory
Glutamate and Synaptic Plasticity
Glutamate, the brain's main excitatory neurotransmitter, is...
01:22Alzheimer's Disease: Treatment