Chronic Ethanol Consumption by Rats before Mating Affects Working Memory in the Offspring

Bull Exp Biol Med. 2023 Sep;175(5):633-637. doi: 10.1007/s10517-023-05916-w. Epub 2023 Oct 23.

Abstract

Parameters of non-spatial and spatial memory were evaluated in sexually mature offspring of outbred rats (females and males F0) consuming a 10% ethanol solution for 30 weeks before mating. We found a significant increase in the recognition index in F1 males and its decrease in F1 females in the novel object recognition test. During the first days of the experiment in T-maze, a decrease in spatial memory was revealed in F1 males, which remained at the trend level until the end of testing; no significant deviations were detected in F1 females. Memory impairment in F1 females was accompanied by a decrease in BDNF level in the hippocampus, but not in the prefrontal cortex. Thus, ethanol consumption by F0 rats before mating led to impairment of long-term working memory only in female F1 offspring.

Keywords: BDNF; ethanol; offspring; rats; working memory.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Communication
  • Ethanol / toxicity
  • Female
  • Hippocampus
  • Male
  • Memory Disorders / chemically induced
  • Memory, Short-Term*
  • Rats
  • Reproduction*

Substances

  • Ethanol