Attention, impulsivity, and cognitive flexibility in adult male rats exposed to ethanol binge during adolescence as measured in the five-choice serial reaction time task: the effects of task and ethanol challenges

Abstract

Rationale Alcohol abuse is prevalent in adolescent humans, but the long-term behavioral consequences of binge alcohol drinking are unknown. Objectives This study investigated the long-term effects of adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) exposure on attention and impulsivity. Methods Adolescent male rats were exposed to 5 g/kg of 25% v/w ethanol every 8 h for 4 days. During adulthood rats were tested in the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT) assessing attention, impulsivity and cognitive flexibility. Results There was no metabolic tolerance to ethanol in adolescent rats during AIE exposure. In the 5-CSRTT under baseline conditions, there were no differences between AIE-exposed and control rats in accuracy, omissions or premature responses, although AIE-exposed rats tended to make more timeout responses than control rats. The short-duration stimulus challenge decreased accuracy and increased omissions and timeout responses in both AIE-exposed and control rats. The long intertrial interval challenge increased premature responses in all rats. An ethanol challenge decreased correct responses, and increased omissions in control, but not in AIE-exposed, rats. Control, but not AIE-exposed, rats exhibited decreased premature and timeout responses after ethanol administration. Response latencies were not affected in AIE-exposed or control rats indicating no sedative effects of ethanol challenge. Conclusions The results indicate that ethanol binge exposure during adolescence has long-lasting neurobehavioral consequences, which persist into adulthood and can be revealed after re-exposure to ethanol. AIE-induced diminished responses to disruptive effects of ethanol on attention, impulsivity and cognitive flexibility may lead to increased alcohol drinking and other maladaptive behaviors in adulthood.

Premature responses in the five-choice serial reaction time task reflect rodents’ temporal strategies: evidence from no-light and pharmacological challenges

“…Finally, the 5-CSRTT has been used to screen for trait impulsivity (McNamara et al, 2010; McTighe et al, 2013; Hamilton et al, 2014), which has informed the development of many rodent models of impulsivity or impaired attention (Oliver et al, 2009; McTighe et al, 2013; Hamilton et al, 2014; Loos et al, 2014). These findings have been extended throughout cognitive neuroscience, especially at the interface of attention and impulsivity with mental illness and addiction (Grottick and Higgins, 2000; Semenova et al, 2007; Semenova, 2012; Sanchez-Roige et al, 2014; Worbe et al, 2014; Irimia et al, 2015). …”

Chronic intermittent ethanol exposure leads to alterations in brain-derived neurotrophic factor within the frontal cortex and impaired behavioral flexibility in both adolescent and adult rats

“…Early adolescent ethanol (EtOH) exposure appears to solidify an adolescent-like behavioral phenotype in adulthood, which includes impulsivity, impaired behavioral flexibility, and increased anxiety (Vetreno and Crews, 2012; Semenova, 2012; Risher et al, 2013; Coleman et al, 2014; Gass et al, 2014; Mejia-Toiber et al, 2014). However, mid adolescent and adult chronic intermittent exposure to ethanol (CIE) has also been associated with deficits in attention, reversal learning and extinction learning (Slawecki, 2006; Kuzmin et al, 2012; Broadwater & Spear, 2014; Badanich et al, 2016).…”

Alcohol Consumption and Executive Functions in Adolescents: A Systematic Review

“…Solo una publicación informó que el número de bebidas alcohólicas consumidas en un día típico probablemente altera este proceso. Cabe destacar que en el estudio que no reportó hallazgos con significancia estadística se empleó una muestra de ratas macho adolescentes de tipo Wistar bajo administración de alcohol en patrón tipo binge (44). Por el contrario, el componente de inhibición de respuestas fue el más evaluado por las investigaciones en la presente revisión, ya que el 46,14 % aplicó algún instrumento para estudiar este aspecto (31,36,40,41,43,44).…”

“…Prueba de esto es que fueron pocos los estudios identificados que abordaron esta temática y muchos de ellos suelen citarse mutuamente. También se aprecia heterogeneidad en el desarrollo de investigaciones en torno a los diferentes componentes de las funciones ejecutivas, ya que mientras algunas tareas fueron objeto de múltiple investigación, como la inhibición de respuestas (31,36,40,(43)(44)(45), otras fueron evaluadas en menos ocasiones, como la flexibilidad cognitiva (43,44).…”