Adolescent ethanol exposure: does it produce long-lasting electrophysiological effects?

Abstract

This review discusses evidence for long lasting neurophysiological changes that may occur following exposure to ethanol during adolescent development in animal models. Adolescence is the time that most individuals first experience ethanol exposure and binge drinking is not uncommon during adolescence. If alcohol exposure is neurotoxic to the developing brain during adolescence, not unlike it is during fetal development, then understanding how ethanol affects the developing adolescent brain becomes a major public health issue. Adolescence is a critical time period when cognitive, emotional and social maturation occurs and it is likely that ethanol exposure may affect these complex processes. In order to study the effects of ethanol on adolescent brain animal models where the dose and time of exposure can be carefully controlled that closely mimic the human condition are needed. The studies reviewed provide evidence that demonstrates that relatively brief exposure to high levels of ethanol, via ethanol vapours, during a period corresponding to parts of adolescence in the rat is sufficient to cause long-lasting changes in functional brain activity. Disturbances in waking EEG and a reduction in the P3 component of the ERP have been demonstrated in adult rats that were exposed to ethanol vapour during adolescence. Adolescent ethanol exposure was also found to produce long lasting reductions in the mean duration of slow-wave sleep (SWS) episodes and the total amount of time spent in SWS, a finding consistent with a premature aging of sleep. Further studies are necessary to confirm these findings, in a range of strains, and to link those findings to the neuroanatomical and neurochemical mechanisms potentially underlying the lasting effects of adolescent ethanol exposure. KeywordsAdolescence; EEG; ERPs; Ethanol; Sleep Adolescence a developmental epoch at high risk for initiation of ethanol useAdolescence is a developmental period of enormous strength and resilience. As compared to young children adolescents are bigger, faster, and stronger and are achieving the apex of their SP30-1501, La Jolla, CA 29037, Tel: (858) Fax: (858) 784-7409, cindye@scripps.edu. Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. NIH Public Access Author ManuscriptAlcohol. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2011 January 1. capacity to withstand cold, injury, heat, and physical stress and are achieving maturational improvements in reaction time, reasoning abilities and immune function (Arnett, 1999;Dahl, 2004;Tanner, 1989). Adolescence is also a time for an increase in the tendencies toward se...

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