Maternal separation increases alcohol-drinking behaviour and reduces endocannabinoid levels in the mouse striatum and prefrontal cortex

European Neuropsychopharmacology : the Journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology
Marta Portero-TresserraOlga Valverde

Abstract

Childhood adversity is associated with an increased risk of mood, anxiety and substance use disorders. Maternal separation is a reliable rodent model of early life adversity that leads to depression-like symptoms, which may increase the vulnerability to alcohol consumption during adolescence. However, the specific alterations in the pattern of alcohol consumption induced by maternal separation and the underlying molecular mechanisms are still unclear. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the long-term effects of maternal separation with early weaning (MSEW) on emotional and social behaviour, alcohol rewarding properties, and alcohol consumption, abstinence and relapse in adolescent male C57BL/6 mice. In addition, endocannabinoid and monoamine levels were analysed in discrete brain areas. Results showed that MSEW mice presented emotional alterations related to depressive-like behaviour and modified endocannabinoid levels in the striatum and the prefrontal cortex. MSEW mice also showed impairments in alcohol-induced conditioned place preference and higher alcohol intake in a model of binge drinking. Moreover, MSEW animals displayed a higher propensity to relapse in the two-bottle choice paradigm following a period of alcohol ...Continue Reading

Citations

Aug 21, 2019·Stress : the International Journal on the Biology of Stress·Kamila Souto LeichtweisVanessa Cristiane Santana Amaral
Jun 30, 2019·The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society·Marion Rincel, Muriel Darnaudéry
Mar 17, 2020·Psychopharmacology·Eliana FerreyraRoberto Sebastián Miranda-Morales
Feb 4, 2021·International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the International Society for Developmental Neuroscience·Fardad PirriMohammad-Reza Zarrindast
Sep 2, 2020·Trends in Molecular Medicine·Terri A deRoon-CassiniCecilia J Hillard
Apr 8, 2021·The European Journal of Neuroscience·Sophia C LevisStephen V Mahler
Sep 4, 2021·Neurotoxicology· SushmaSrikanta Kumar Rath

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