Effects of acute ethanol consumption and noise exposure on hippocampal glutamate transporter EAAT-1 during adolescence: Role of energy drinks as possible neuroprotectors

SERRA, HA; MOLINA, SJ; D´ALESSIO, L; BUJÁN,GE; GUELMAN, LR

San Diego, CA

Congreso; Neuroscience 2022; 2022

Society for Neuroscience

Ethanol (EtOH) intake and noise exposure during adolescence can induce healthalterations. Animal models studies have shown that both stimuli might havedetrimental effects on the hippocampus (HC), a brain structure related to cognitivefunctions, including glutamatergic neurotransmission alterations capable ofpromoting excitotoxicity and cell damage. In particular, the excitatory amino acidtransporter-1 (EAAT-1) would have an important role in the removal of extracellular glutamate to prevent excitotoxicity. Moreover, it has been proposed that theintake of EtOH in combination with energy drinks (ED) could either prevent its toxiceffects ?because of its antioxidant properties- or increase it by inducing greaterEtOH consumption. Thus, the aim of this work was to test the effects of EtOH andED intake followed by noise exposure on the levels of EAAT-1 in the HC inadolescent rats.Wistar rats (28-days-old) were subjected to 10% EtOH, ED or 10% EtOH+EDintake, using the voluntary two-bottle choice drinking-in-the-dark paradigm, during4h/d, for 4 days. After the last session, rats were exposed to noise (95-97 dB, 2h)and HC was dissected for Western Blot experiments to evaluate EAAT-1 levels.Results showed no changes in the levels of hippocampal EAAT-1 in rats exposedto EtOH or noise, or to both stimuli combined. However, the ED consumption aloneor in combination with EtOH decreased the levels of both glycosylated and activemultimeric forms of EAAT-1, especially in females.These findings suggest that brief exposure to EtOH and noise would not besufficient to alter hippocampal EAAT-1 levels. However, the consumption of EDwas able to decrease the levels of the glutamate transporter, suggesting a greatervulnerability to the harmful effects of excitotoxicity, resembling previously obtainedresults in which longer exposures to EtOH, with or without noise, were used. Inconclusion, exposure to a combination of physical and chemical stimuli could bedangerous and demonstrates the high vulnerability of developing brain toenvironmental stressors.