ABSTRACT
El consumo excesivo de alcohol es un problema de salud pública mundial, siendo los adolescentes y jóvenes adultos la población más afectada. El objetivo de este estudio fue esclarecer los efectos de una historia binge drinking (BD) y/o del consumo agudo de alcohol sobre la respuesta de estrés en mujeres y hombres. Participaron 235 adolescentes (143 mujeres y 92 hombres). Se evaluaron cortisol, presión arterial sistólica y diastólica (PAS y PAD), frecuencia cardiaca (FC) y estrés percibido (EP). En el experimento 1, los efectos del alcohol fueron estudiados separadamente en mujeres y hombres debido a diferencias en la concentración de alcohol en sangre (CAS). En el experimento 2, una selección balanceada de mujeres y hombres con similar CAS permitió su comparación. En el experimento 1, las mujeres que recibieron alcohol mostraron un incremento de cortisol y FC, y las binge drinkers mostraron mayor FC que las abstemias. Los hombres abstemios que recibieron alcohol mostraron mayor FC y los binge drinkers tuvieron niveles más altos de cortisol y PAS que los abstemios. En el experimento 2, se observaron resultados similares y diferencias de sexo, mostrando los hombres niveles más altos de cortisol y PAS, y menos EP que las mujeres. En conclusión, la respuesta normal del eje HPA adolescente al consumo de alcohol refleja un incremento de cortisol en mujeres, así como de FC en ambos sexos. Además, una historia de consumo BD está asociada con una desregulación del eje HPA, manifestado con niveles más altos de cortisol (independientemente de sexo), PAS en varones y FC en mujeres, adolescentes sanos. (AU)
Excessive alcohol consumption is a worldwide public health problem, being adolescents and young adults the population most affected by this problem. The aim of this study was to clarify the effects of having a history of binge drinking (BD) and/or acute alcohol consumption on the stress response in female and male adolescents. Participants were 235 adolescents (143 females and 92 males). Cortisol, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), heart rate (HR) and perceived stress (PS) were evaluated in adolescents with different and similar blood alcohol concentrations (BAC). In Experiment 1, the effects of alcohol were studied separately in females and males because of differences in BAC. In Experiment 2, a direct comparison between sexes was carried out in a counterbalanced selection of participants with similar BAC. In Experiment 1, females receiving alcohol showed an increase in cortisol and HR, and binge drinkers displayed higher HR than refrainers. Male refrainers receiving alcohol showed higher HR, and binge drinkers showed higher cortisol and SBP than refrainers. In Experiment 2, similar results were observed and sex differences were evident, with males showing higher cortisol and SBP, and lower PS than females. In conclusion, the normal response of the adolescent HPA axis to alcohol consumption is an increase in cortisol levels in females, as well as HR in both sexes. In addition, a history of BD is associated with HPA axis dysregulation, which is manifested by higher values of cortisol (independently of sex), SBP in male and HR in female healthy adolescents. (AU)
Subject(s)
Male , Female , Adolescent , Young Adult , Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System , Alcohol Drinking/adverse effects , Alcohol Drinking/psychology , Underage Drinking/psychology , Stress, PsychologicalABSTRACT
In previous research, we found that chronic-intermittent ethanol administration (CIEA), a model of binge drinking, impaired emotional memory in mice, and this impairment was counteracted by the anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of CIEA on spatial memory and cognitive flexibility in adolescent mice of both sexes. Animals were randomly assigned to one of four groups for each sex: SS (saline + saline), SA (saline + alcohol), SI (saline + indomethacin), and AI (alcohol + indomethacin). They were injected with saline, ethanol (3 g/kg) or indomethacin (10 mg/kg) for the first three days of each week, throughout three weeks. 96 h after treatment, subjects learnt a standard water maze task on five consecutive days (4-day training and 1-day probe trial). One day later, mice underwent a reversal task for evaluating spatial cognitive flexibility. Animals receiving alcohol (SA and AI groups) did not differ from controls (SS groups) during the standard task, but animals treated with indomethacin performed better than controls, both in the acquisition trials and the probe trial. During the reversal task, no significant differences between alcohol groups and controls were observed, but the indomethacin group showed significant lower escape latencies than controls. No sex differences were found in either task. In conclusion, binge drinking does not impair spatial memory or spatial cognitive flexibility, while the anti-inflammatory indomethacin improves both, showing that the effects of alcohol and indomethacin on spatial memory (dependent on hippocampus) are different to those they exert on emotional memory (dependent on amygdala).
Subject(s)
Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/pharmacology , Binge Drinking/psychology , Cognition/drug effects , Indomethacin/pharmacology , Maze Learning/drug effects , Spatial Memory/drug effects , Animals , Ethanol/pharmacology , Female , Male , MiceABSTRACT
Excessive alcohol consumption is a worldwide public health problem, being adolescents and young adults the population most affected by this problem. The aim of this study was to clarify the effects of having a history of binge drinking (BD) and/or acute alcohol consumption on the stress response in female and male adolescents. Participants were 235 adolescents (143 females and 92 males). Cortisol, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), heart rate (HR) and perceived stress (PS) were evaluated in adolescents with different and similar blood alcohol concentrations (BAC). In Experiment 1, the effects of alcohol were studied separately in females and males because of differences in BAC. In Experiment 2, a direct comparison between sexes was carried out in a counterbalanced selection of participants with similar BAC. In Experiment 1, females receiving alcohol showed an increase in cortisol and HR, and binge drinkers displayed higher HR than refrainers. Male refrainers receiving alcohol showed higher HR, and binge drinkers showed higher cortisol and SBP than refrainers. In Experiment 2, similar results were observed and sex differences were evident, with males showing higher cortisol and SBP, and lower PS than females. In conclusion, the normal response of the adolescent HPA axis to alcohol consumption is an increase in cortisol levels in females, as well as HR in both sexes. In addition, a history of BD is associated with HPA axis dysregulation, which is manifested by higher values of cortisol (independently of sex), SBP in male and HR in female healthy adolescents.
El consumo excesivo de alcohol es un problema de salud pública mundial, siendo los adolescentes y jóvenes adultos la población más afectada. El objetivo de este estudio fue esclarecer los efectos de una historia binge drinking (BD) y/o del consumo agudo de alcohol sobre la respuesta de estrés en mujeres y hombres. Participaron 235 adolescentes (143 mujeres y 92 hombres). Se evaluaron cortisol, presión arterial sistólica y diastólica (PAS y PAD), frecuencia cardiaca (FC) y estrés percibido (EP). En el experimento 1, los efectos del alcohol fueron estudiados separadamente en mujeres y hombres debido a diferencias en la concentración de alcohol en sangre (CAS). En el experimento 2, una selección balanceada de mujeres y hombres con similar CAS permitió su comparación. En el experimento 1, las mujeres que recibieron alcohol mostraron un incremento de cortisol y FC, y las binge drinkers mostraron mayor FC que las abstemias. Los hombres abstemios que recibieron alcohol mostraron mayor FC y los binge drinkers tuvieron niveles más altos de cortisol y PAS que los abstemios. En el experimento 2, se observaron resultados similares y diferencias de sexo, mostrando los hombres niveles más altos de cortisol y PAS, y menos EP que las mujeres. En conclusión, la respuesta normal del eje HPA adolescente al consumo de alcohol refleja un incremento de cortisol en mujeres, así como de FC en ambos sexos. Además, una historia de consumo BD está asociada con una desregulación del eje HPA, manifestado con niveles más altos de cortisol (independientemente de sexo), PAS en varones y FC en mujeres, adolescentes sanos.
ABSTRACT
Background: This study examines the interaction between a history of binge drinking (BD), alone or with cannabis consumption, and the effects of acute alcohol exposure on immediate visual memory (IVM) (faces memory task, scenes memory task and IVM-IQ) in adolescents of both sexes. Method: Two hundred and ninety adolescents, grouped into refrainers, binge drinkers and subjects with a history of simultaneous BD/Cannabis co-use, received a risk dose of alcohol or a control drink. Results: Consumption Pattern (refrainers vs. binge drinkers vs. BD/Cannabis consumers) was not significant, while Treatment (acute alcohol vs. control drink) was significant in both sexes. Also, male binge drinkers' performance in the faces memory task was poorer than that of refrainers and BD/Cannabis consumers who consumed the control drink. BD/Cannabis consumers performed this task as capably as refrainers. In women, binge drinkers performed better than refrainers in scene memory and IVM-IQ tests when given alcohol, and binge drinkers performed worse than refrainers after consuming the control drink. Conclusions: Acute alcohol consumption worsens IVM. Cannabis exerts a buffering effect in men. A cognitive tolerance effect is observed in women. Exposure during adolescence to alcohol, alone or with cannabis, can trigger different cognitive effects in men and women that could endure into adulthood.
ABSTRACT
The Binge Drinking (BD) pattern of alcohol consumption, prevalent in adolescents and young adults, has been associated with memory impairment. In addition, evidence shows that alcohol abuse causes neuroinflammation, which may contribute to the brain damage produced by alcohol and explain its cognitive consequences. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of the anti-inflammatory indomethacin in counteracting the memory impairment produced by alcohol (ethanol) in adolescent mice of both sexes. Animals were randomly assigned to one of four groups for each sex: SS (salineâ¯+â¯saline), SA (salineâ¯+â¯alcohol), SI (salineâ¯+â¯indomethacin) and AI (alcoholâ¯+â¯indomethacin). They were injected acutely (Experiment 1) or chronically intermittent (Experiment 2) with saline, ethanol (3â¯g/kg) and indomethacin (10â¯mg/kg). All subjects were evaluated in an inhibitory avoidance task 96â¯h after treatment. With acute administration, SA groups showed significantly lower Test latencies than SS groups, while AI groups had similar latencies to controls. The chronic-intermittent administration of alcohol, an animal model of BD, produced significant emotional memory impairment -blocking learning in males- which was counteracted by indomethacin, as the AI groups had similar latencies to the SS groups. No significant differences were observed in locomotor activity or analgesia. In conclusion, alcohol BD (one or several episodes) impairs emotional memory in mice. This impairment is not secondary to the effects of alcohol BD on locomotor activity or pain sensitivity, and it is counteracted by indomethacin. Therefore, the memory impairment produced by alcohol BD seems to be mediated, in part, by neuroinflammatory processes. These findings open a window for new treatments for alcohol use disorders.
Subject(s)
Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/pharmacology , Binge Drinking/physiopathology , Central Nervous System Depressants/pharmacology , Emotions , Ethanol/pharmacology , Indomethacin/pharmacology , Memory/drug effects , Animals , Binge Drinking/psychology , Female , Male , Memory Disorders/physiopathology , Memory Disorders/psychology , MiceABSTRACT
The environmental enrichment (EE) paradigm has been evaluated as a means of counteracting some of the consequences of chronic stress in rodents as well as a model of protective environment against drug abuse development. In the present chapter, our main aim is to describe the models of EE and chronic social stress and how they can be applied jointly in order to evaluate the effects of early psychosocial stress in animals exposed of different environments (enriched environment or standard environment). Furthermore, both paradigms could be applied in animal models of nicotine addiction, so the guidelines for the application of a chronic oral nicotine treatment in mice will be described. The heterogeneity of the procedures carried out in different laboratories makes it interesting to specify their characteristics in order to obtain replicable and valid animal models.
Subject(s)
Environmental Exposure , Nicotine/adverse effects , Stress, Psychological , Tobacco Use Disorder/etiology , Animals , Behavior, Animal , Disease Models, Animal , Male , Rodentia , Tobacco Use Disorder/diagnosisABSTRACT
Binge drinking (BD), characterized by intermittent consumption of large quantities of alcohol in short periods of time, is the main alcohol consumption pattern in adolescents and young adults. BD has serious biomedical consequences, and it is a prominent risk factor for later development of alcohol use disorders. Rodent models offer exceptional power to study these negative consequences of BD. This chapter focuses on one of these BD models: the chronic-intermittent ethanol administration (CIEA) paradigm. Essentially, CIEA consists of the administration in rats or mice of i.p. injections of ethanol (doses: 3-4 g/kg) for several consecutive days each week, in alternation with several days without injections, during several weeks. Due to our interest in the neurobehavioral effects of BD, a combination of the CIEA model with a battery of behavioral tests is described, with emphasis on the effects of alcohol BD on different kinds of memory. The CIEA model, in combination with behavioral tasks, seems to be a useful tool for studying the neurobehavioral effects of BD as well as for developing potential prevention and treatment strategies.
Subject(s)
Alcohol Drinking/adverse effects , Binge Drinking/etiology , Alcoholism/diagnosis , Alcoholism/etiology , Animals , Behavior, Animal , Binge Drinking/diagnosis , Disease Models, Animal , Humans , Maze Learning , Mice , RatsABSTRACT
The binge drinking (BD) pattern of alcohol consumption is prevalent during adolescence, a period characterized by critical changes to the structural and functional development of brain areas related with memory and cognition. There is considerable evidence of the cognitive dysfunctions caused by the neurotoxic effects of BD in the not-yet-adult brain. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of different blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) on memory during late adolescence (18-19 years old) in males and females with a history of BD. The sample consisted of 154 adolescents (67 males and 87 females) that were classified as refrainers if they had never previously drunk alcoholic drinks and as binge drinkers if they had drunk six or more standard drink units in a row for men or five or more for women at a minimum frequency of three occasions in a month, throughout the previous 12 months. After intake of a high acute dose of alcohol by binge drinkers or a control refreshment by refrainers and binge drinkers, subjects were distributed into four groups for each gender according to their BAC: BAC0-R (0 g/L, in refrainers), BAC0-BD (0 g/L, in binge drinkers), BAC1 (0.3 - 0.5 g/L, in binge drinkers) or BAC2 (0.54 - 1.1 g/L, in binge drinkers). The subjects' immediate visual memory and working memory were then measured according to the Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS-III). The BAC1 group showed lower scores of immediate visual memory but not of working memory, while lower performance in both memories were found in the BAC2 group. Therefore, the brain of binge drinkers with moderate BAC could be employing compensatory mechanisms from additional brain areas to perform a working memory task adequately, but these resources would be undermined when BAC is higher (>0.5 g/L). No gender differences were found in BAC-related lower performance in immediate visual memory and working memory. In conclusion, immediate visual memory is more sensitive than working memory to the neurotoxic effects of alcohol in adolescent binge drinkers of both genders, being a BAC-related lower performance, and without obvious differences between males and females.
ABSTRACT
AIMS: Binge drinking (BD) is characterized by intermittent consumption of large quantities of alcohol in short periods. This pattern of drinking is prevalent among adolescents, and has been associated with undermined learning and memory ability. This study investigates the relationships between a history of BD and the effects of acute exposure to alcohol on learning and memory performance in adolescent men and women. METHODS: A high, acute dose of alcohol or control refreshment was administered to a sample of 172 adolescent undergraduate students, some of which had a history of BD and others of which had refrained from alcohol consumption. Subsequently, immediate visual memory (IVM) and working memory (WM) was measured according to the Wechsler Memory Scale in females and males with different BAC (Experiment 1) and similar BAC (Experiment 2). RESULTS: In both experiments, IVM was reduced after acute alcohol consumption and there was no significant main effect of Drinking Pattern. Furthermore, an effect of cognitive alcohol tolerance on IVM was observed in women but not in men. WM was not affected by alcohol, but a gender difference was evident in that performance was superior in men than in women. CONCLUSIONS: In adolescents, IVM is more sensitive than WM to impairment by alcohol, and women are more vulnerable to the neurotoxic effects of alcohol than men, since the cognitive tolerance effect of alcohol on IVM develops in BD women but not in BD men. These findings emphasize the need to investigate the neurotoxic effects of alcohol in adolescent women. SHORT SUMMARY: In adolescents, immediate visual memory (IVM) is more sensitive than working memory to impairment by alcohol, and women are more vulnerable to the neurotoxic effects of alcohol than men, because the cognitive tolerance effect of alcohol on IVM develops in binge drinking (BD) women but not in BD men.
Subject(s)
Adolescent Behavior/drug effects , Binge Drinking/psychology , Ethanol/pharmacology , Memory, Short-Term/drug effects , Universities , Adolescent , Female , Humans , Male , Sex Factors , Students/psychology , Visual Perception/drug effects , Wechsler Memory Scale , Young AdultABSTRACT
We have previously observed the impairing effects of chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) on emotional memory in mice. Given the relation between stress and inflammatory processes, we sought to study the effectiveness of the anti-inflammatory indomethacin in reversing the detrimental effects of CSDS on emotional memory in mice. The effects of CSDS and indomethacin on recognition memory were also evaluated. Male CD1 mice were randomly divided into four groups: non-stressed + saline (NS+SAL); non-stressed + indomethacin (NS+IND); stressed + saline (S+SAL); and stressed + indomethacin (S+IND). Stressed animals were exposed to a daily 10 min agonistic confrontation (CSDS) for 20 days. All subjects were treated daily with saline or indomethacin (10 mg/kg, i.p.). 24 h after the CSDS period, all the mice were evaluated in a social interaction test to distinguish between those that were resilient or susceptible to social stress. All subjects (n = 10-12 per group) were then evaluated in inhibitory avoidance (IA), novel object recognition (NOR), elevated plus maze and hot plate tests. As in control animals (NS+SAL group), IA learning was observed in the resilient groups, as well as in the susceptible mice treated with indomethacin (S+IND group). Recognition memory was observed in the non-stressed and the resilient mice, but not in the susceptible animals. Also, stressed mice exhibited higher anxiety levels. No significant differences were observed in locomotor activity or analgesia. In conclusion, CSDS induces anxiety in post-pubertal mice and impairs emotional and recognition memory in the susceptible subjects. The effects of CSDS on emotional memory, but not on recognition memory and anxiety, are reversed by indomethacin. Moreover, memory impairment is not secondary to the effects of CSDS on locomotor activity, emotionality or pain sensitivity.
Subject(s)
Behavior, Animal/drug effects , Emotions/drug effects , Indomethacin/pharmacology , Interpersonal Relations , Memory/drug effects , Stress, Psychological/drug therapy , Animals , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/pharmacology , Avoidance Learning , Chronic Disease , Disease Models, Animal , Male , MiceABSTRACT
We have previously observed impairing effects of social defeat stress (CSDS) on inhibitory avoidance (IA) in mice. Given the similarity between changes produced by social stress in animals and symptoms of certain human psychopathologies such as depression and anxiety, the effects of the antidepressant clomipramine on IA impairment produced by CSDS were evaluated in the present study. Male CD1 mice were randomly assigned to the groups: non-stressed+saline, non-stressed+clomipramine, stressed+saline and stressed+clomipramine. Stressed animals were subjected to daily agonistic encounters (10 min) in the home cage of the aggressor over a 20-day period. Just before each encounter, non-stressed and stressed mice were injected i.p. with saline or clomipramine (10 mg/kg) according to their experimental condition. 24 hours after the last CSDS session, all the mice were tested in a step-through IA task. In the IA training phase, animals were punished by a shock to the paw when they entered the dark compartment of the apparatus. In the IA test phase (one week later) the same procedure took place, but without shock. Complementary measures were obtained by evaluating all the animals in an elevated plus maze (locomotor activity and emotionality) and on a hot plate (analgesia). IA learning was confirmed in all groups except the stressed+saline group, which was the only one that exhibited higher anxiety levels. No variations were observed in either locomotor activity or analgesia. In conclusion, CSDS induces anxiety and impairs emotional memory in mice; the negative effects of CSDS on memory appear to be attenuated by clomipramine, and these detrimental effects do not seem to be secondary to the effects of CSDS on locomotor activity, emotionality or pain sensitivity.
Subject(s)
Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic/therapeutic use , Clomipramine/therapeutic use , Emotions/drug effects , Memory/drug effects , Stress, Psychological/physiopathology , Analysis of Variance , Animals , Avoidance Learning/drug effects , Disease Models, Animal , Inhibition, Psychological , Locomotion/drug effects , Male , Maze Learning/drug effects , Mice , Reaction Time/drug effects , Stress, Psychological/drug therapyABSTRACT
In the present study, the effects of several degrees of CSDS (Chronic Social Defeat Stress) on emotional and spatial memory in mice were evaluated in separate experiments. Male CD1 mice were randomly assigned to four experimental groups (n=10-12) for each experiment: NS (non-stressed), S5, S10 and S20 (5, 10 and 20 sessions of CSDS, respectively). The S groups underwent the corresponding number of agonistic encounters (10min each) over a 20-day period. 24h after the last session of CSDS, mice performed the inhibitory avoidance (Experiment 1) or the Morris water maze test (Experiment 2). In both experiments, animals were also evaluated in the elevated plus maze for 5min to obtain complementary measures of locomotor activity and emotionality. The results showed that the highest degree of CSDS had impairing effects on inhibitory avoidance, while there were no significant differences between groups in the water maze. The S20 group exhibited higher anxiety levels in the elevated plus maze. No variations in locomotor activity were observed in any experiment. In conclusion, CSDS has a greater impact on emotional memory than on spatial memory. These negative effects of CSDS on memory do not seem to be secondary to the motor or emotional effects of stress.
Subject(s)
Anxiety/psychology , Behavior, Animal/physiology , Dominance-Subordination , Emotions/physiology , Spatial Memory/physiology , Stress, Psychological/psychology , Animals , Disease Models, Animal , Inhibition, Psychological , Male , Maze Learning , Mice , Motor Activity , Random AllocationABSTRACT
Chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) is an animal model widely used to determine the neurobiological mechanisms of stress and its associated pathologies. In this study, the effects of CSDS on inhibitory avoidance (IA) were evaluated in post-pubertal and adult male CD1 mice, instead of the C57BL/6J strain used in the CSDS standard protocol. CSDS consisted of daily 5-min (experiments 1 and 2) or 10-min (experiment 3) agonistic encounters on 21 consecutive days. Twenty four hours after the last session of CSDS, all the mice were tested for IA. They were also evaluated in an elevated plus-maze, obtaining complementary measures of locomotor activity and emotionality. In experiments 1 and 2, IA learning was confirmed in both non-stressed and stressed groups, showing stressed post-pubertal mice higher test latencies than controls. In experiment 3, IA was confirmed in the non-stressed but not in the stressed group. In conclusion, a moderate degree of CSDS (5-min encounters) enhances memory in post-pubertal but not in adult mice, while a high degree (10-min encounters) prevents the memory formation of IA in mice. These effects of CSDS on memory are not secondary to motor or emotional effects of stress. Furthermore, CD1 has been shown to be a valid strain for the stressed mice in the CSDS model.
Subject(s)
Avoidance Learning/physiology , Behavior, Animal/physiology , Dominance-Subordination , Inhibition, Psychological , Memory/physiology , Stress, Psychological/physiopathology , Animals , Disease Models, Animal , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred StrainsABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a high dose of alcohol on physiological and psychological parameters in young men and women with a previous history of alcohol consumption. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, state anxiety, attention, time estimation and manual dexterity were registered before (phase 1) and after (phase 2) intake of alcohol (38.4 g) or a non-alcoholic beverage. Trait anxiety was registered in phase 2 only. The results showed that acute consumption of a high dose of alcohol: i) improves attention in men (although the performance of alcohol consumers was not better than that of non-consumers); ii) blocks the systolic blood pressure habituation phenomenon (observed in controls) in women; and iii) blocks the improvement in manual dexterity (associated with experience in non-consumers) in both sexes. On the other hand, male consumers had a lower heart rate than non-consumers, independently of the phase, while female consumers had a higher state anxiety and performed worse in attention than controls, also independently of the phase. These results help to understand the extent of performance impairment of different tasks produced by risk alcohol consumption in young men and women.
Subject(s)
Alcohol Drinking/physiopathology , Alcohol Drinking/psychology , Ethanol/administration & dosage , Ethanol/pharmacology , Female , Humans , Male , Young AdultABSTRACT
El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar los efectos de una dosis alta de alcohol sobre parámetros fisiológicos y psicológicos en hombres y mujeres jóvenes con historia previa de consumo de alcohol. La presión sanguínea sistólica y diastólica, la frecuencia cardiaca, la ansiedad estado, el procesamiento atencional, la estimación temporal y la destreza manual fueron registradas antes (fase 1) y después (fase 2) de la ingesta de alcohol (38,4 g) o de una bebida no alcohólica. La ansiedad rasgo fue registrada solamente en la fase 2. Los resultados mostraron que el consumo agudo de una dosis alta de alcohol: I) en hombres, mejora el procesamiento atencional (aunque la ejecución de los consumidores no fue mejor que la de los no consumidores); II) en mujeres, bloquea el fenómeno de habituación observado en la presión sanguínea sistólica de los sujetos controles; III) en ambos sexos, bloquea la mejoría en la ejecución en destreza manual (asociada a la experiencia en los no consumidores). Por otro lado, los hombres consumidores de alcohol mostraron una frecuencia cardiaca menor que los no consumidores, independientemente de la fase en la que se encuentren; mientras que en las mujeres se observó una mayor ansiedad estado y una peor ejecución en procesamiento atencional entre las consumidoras de alcohol, independientemente de la fase. Estos resultados ayudan a comprender la magnitud del deterioro en diversas medidas producido por el alcohol, tras un consumo de riesgo, en hombres y mujeres jóvenes
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a high dose of alcohol on physiological and psychological parameters in young men and women with a previous history of alcohol consumption. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, state anxiety, attention, time estimation and manual dexterity were registered before (phase 1) and after (phase 2) intake of alcohol (38.4 g) or a non-alcoholic beverage. Trait anxiety was registered in phase 2 only. The results showed that acute consumption of a high dose of alcohol: I) improves attention in men (although the performance of alcohol consumers was not better than that of non-consumers); II) blocks the systolic blood pressure habituation phenomenon (observed in controls) in women; and III) blocks the improvement in manual dexterity (associated with experience in non-consumers) in both sexes. On the other hand, male consumers had a lower heart rate than non-consumers, independently of the phase, while female consumers had a higher state anxiety and performed worse in attention than controls, also independently of the phase. These results help to understand the extent of performance impairment of different tasks produced by risk alcohol consumption in young men and women
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Alcoholism/complications , Alcoholism/psychology , Maximum Tolerated Dose , Heart Rate/physiology , Substance-Related Disorders/complications , Analysis of Variance , Sleep Wake Disorders/complications , Sleep Wake Disorders/diagnosis , Anxiety/complications , Anxiety Disorders/epidemiology , Anxiety Disorders/prevention & controlABSTRACT
The purpose of the present work was to study possible differences in the learning of inhibitory avoidance (also called passive avoidance) in male and female CD1 mice acquired from three different suppliers, for which a one-trial step-through version of the paradigm was employed. Ninety-six mice from Charles River (France), Janvier (France) and Harlan (The Netherlands) laboratories were divided by sex and assigned to group C, J or H, respectively (n=16). The animals were tested in the training phase (foot-shock: 0.3mA, 5s) and again for avoidance (no foot-shock delivered) one week later. Inhibitory avoidance learning (test latencies significantly higher than training latencies) was observed in every one of the six groups of animals. The variable Supplier was statistically significant, showing better to worse avoidance in C, J and H mice (in that order). A post hoc analysis showed differences between groups C and H. Females tended to exhibit avoidance learning to a greater extent than males. Our results suggest that inhibitory avoidance learning in CD1 mice varies depending on the breeding facilities from which they originate, and that females should be included in inhibitory avoidance studies.
Subject(s)
Animal Husbandry , Avoidance Learning/physiology , Sex Characteristics , Animals , Female , Male , Mice , Sex FactorsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The objective was to evaluate the effects of a single dose of alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine, alone or in combination, on physiological parameters (systolic and diastolic blood pressure [SBP and DBP] and heart rate [HR]) and state-trait anxiety in healthy young volunteers. METHOD: The procedure reproduces the conditions under which the subjects (n=76) usually ingest alcohol (through an alcoholic beverage), caffeine (through a cup of coffee), and nicotine (by smoking a cigarette), separately or in combination, according to their consumption habits of each individual. SBP and DBP, HR, and state anxiety (SA) were registered before (phase 1) and after (phase 2) treatment. RESULTS: Intake of alcohol or alcohol-nicotine reduced DBP. Comparisons between control and combined treatment (coffee-alcohol-nicotine) groups revealed a decrease in HR in the former group but not in the latter. The coffee consumers alone exhibited a tendency toward an increase in SA, while the control group showed a tendency toward a decrease in this measure. When Phase 1 and Phase 2 were compared, a decrease was observed in SBP (alcohol and coffee-alcohol groups), DBP (alcohol and alcohol-nicotine groups), HR (all groups, except coffee-alcohol and coffee-alcohol-nicotine groups), and SA (coffee-alcohol-nicotine group). CONCLUSIONS: (i) A low dose of alcohol, either alone or in combination with a cigarette, decreases DBP but not SBP; (ii) the polyconsumption of coffee, alcohol, and nicotine blocks the adaptation response (the reduction in HR in control subjects in the second phase); (iii) an increase of SA is observed after consuming coffee, while the opposite occurs in control subjects (a decrease of SA).
ABSTRACT
We have previously observed that, while the impairing effects of amitriptyline on inhibitory avoidance in mice are consistently observed, those of acute fluoxetine are negligible. Two experiments were designed to investigate whether a regular dose of fluoxetine potentiates the effect of a low dose of amitriptyline that is ineffective when administered alone. Male and female CD1 mice were administered i.p. 30 min before training, as follows. In the first experiment, they were injected with saline, one of three doses of amitriptyline (2.5, 5, 10mg/kg), one dose of fluoxetine (15 mg/kg), or a combination of amitriptyline (2.5mg/kg) and fluoxetine (15 mg/kg). In the second experiment, the mice were injected with saline, amitriptyline (2.5mg/kg), one of three doses of fluoxetine (10, 15, 20mg/kg), or a combination of 2.5mg/kg of amitriptyline and one of the three mentioned doses of fluoxetine. Drug doses were selected based on previous experiments in our laboratory reported in other publications. The behavioural procedure used to test the effects of these treatments was step-through inhibitory avoidance. The joint administration of amitriptyline 2.5mg/kg and fluoxetine 15 mg/kg had a clear impairing effect on inhibitory avoidance as observed in the two experiments. The dose of 2.5mg/kg of amitriptyline, given alone, was ineffective. Doses of 5mg/kg, or higher, of amitriptyline impaired inhibitory avoidance. The only effect detected when fluoxetine was administered separately was in the males of the experiment 1, which exhibited less avoidance than controls. Our preclinical research throws light on the benefits of the combined administration of antidepressants.
Subject(s)
Amitriptyline/pharmacology , Avoidance Learning/drug effects , Fluoxetine/pharmacology , Amitriptyline/administration & dosage , Animals , Antidepressive Agents/administration & dosage , Antidepressive Agents/pharmacology , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Drug Synergism , Female , Fluoxetine/administration & dosage , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred Strains , Sex FactorsABSTRACT
The purpose of the present work was to study the dose-effect relationship of the antidepressant amitriptyline on inhibitory avoidance in male and female mice. Subjects received physiological saline or 2.5, 5, 10 or 20 mg/kg of amitriptyline hydrochloride 30 min before the training phase, and were subjected to the test phase 24 h later. Results showed a clear impairing effect of amitriptyline on inhibitory avoidance in both male and female mice, and that the effect is dose-dependent.
Subject(s)
Amitriptyline/pharmacology , Avoidance Learning/drug effects , Amitriptyline/administration & dosage , Animals , Depression, Chemical , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Female , Male , Mice , Random Allocation , Reaction Time/drug effectsABSTRACT
We have previously observed that amitriptyline and other antidepressants produce impairing effects on inhibitory avoidance (also called passive avoidance) in mice of both sexes. In the present study we investigated the involvement of the cholinergic system in the inhibitory avoidance impairment produced by acute amitriptyline in male and female CD1 mice. For this purpose, the effects on said task of acute i.p. administration of several doses of amitriptyline, either alone or in combination with the cholinergic agonists oxotremorine and physostigmine, were evaluated. Pre-training administration of 5, 7.5, 10 or 15 mg/kg of amitriptyline produced a significant impairment of inhibitory avoidance in both males and females. When oxotremorine (0.05 or 0.1 mg/kg) was co-administered with amitriptyline, the antidepressant's impairing effect was partially counteracted, although inhibitory avoidance learning was not significant. Physostigmine (0.15, 0.3 or 0.6 mg/kg) counteracted the impairment produced by amitriptyline, as mice treated with both drugs exhibited inhibitory avoidance learning. These results show that the inhibitory avoidance impairment produced by amitriptyline in male and female mice is mediated, at least partially, by the cholinergic system.
