Acute Ethanol Exposure Induces Anxiety Like-Behaviors In Infant Rats: Omega 3 As A Protective Factor

SALGUERO, JUAN AGUSTÍN; MÉNDEZ, SANTIAGO; VILLARREAL, RUTH NOELIA; SCARAMUZZA, ROCÍO GALA; ABATE, PAULA; BALASZCZUK, VERÓNICA

Mar del Plata

Congreso; XXXII Congress of the Argentine Society for Research in Neuroscience; 2017

Sociedad Argentina de Neurociencias

Introduction: Literature shows that prenatal alcohol exposure can have teratogenic effects on brain structure and function as well as long lasting neuro-behavioral effects including enhanced anxiety-like responses. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, the essential fatty acids found in fish oil, have protective effects against ethanol-induced neurotoxicity.Objective: the aim of this study was to explore the potential protective effects of Omega 3 against the increased anxiety-like behavior induced by acute ethanol exposure in infant rats.Method: A 20% solution of ethanol in saline was administered to postnatal day 7 (PND) Wistar rats in two separate treatments, 2 hours apart, each treatment delivering 2.5 g/kg (sc); control rats were treated with saline only. Another group was administered with one dose of Omega3 (720mg/kg, i.g) 15´ after the last alcohol injection. Control Omega3 group was considered. Behaviors related to anxiety were analyzed in the open-field task at PND 14.Results: acute ethanol exposure at PND 7 leads an increase in anxiety-like behaviors. Omega3 administration, a single dose, ameliorates the acute alcohol effects. Discussion: This is the first study to demonstrate that an acute ethanol exposure occasioned behavioral alterations that persist in the offspring. Furthermore, Omega3 ameliorated the ethanol-induced effects in rats. Omega3 administration may have therapeutic effects to reverse or mitigate some ofethanol´s damaging consequences.