DIFFERENTIAL-EFFECTS OF ETHANOL IN ADOLESCENT AND ADULT-RATS

Alcohol use in children and adolescents is widespread, However, very l ittle is known about the effects of alcohol exposure during this perio d of postnatal development. The goal of the present study was to compa re the relative sensitivity to the sedative effects of alcohol in peri adolescent and adult rats. After treatment with either 4 or 5 g/kg eth anol, both 20- and 30-day-old rats regained their righting reflex sign ificantly earlier than 60-day old rats. In 30-day-old rats, serum etha nol concentrations (SECs) were significantly greater at the time of th e recovery of the righting reflex than 60-day-old rats, Developmental differences in the effects of ethanol on locomotor activity were also observed, In 60-day-old rats, 2.5 g/kg ethanol generally decreased loc omotor activity. Ethanol did not significantly alter locomotor activit y in 20- and 30-day-old rats, Finally, there were significant developm ental differences in the pharmacokinetics of ethanol with a significan t delay in the time to peak SECs in 60-day-old rats relative to 20- an d 30-day-old rats. These findings indicate that periadolescent rats ar e less sensitive to the sedative effects of ethanol as they recovered their righting reflex earlier and at significantly higher SECs than ad ult rats.