Adolescent alcohol exposure disrupts episodic-like memory by impairing dopamine synapses in the mouse prelimbic cortex.

ABSTRACT: Heavy alcohol use during adolescence has a significant impact on cognitive functions, such as episodic memory, even after detoxification. However, in animal models, defects in episodic memory by adolescent alcohol exposure have not been consistently replicated, and thus, the brain regions and systems that are involved remain to be elucidated. Here, we show that adolescent alcohol exposure impairs episodic memory through the impairment of the dopamine system in the prelimbic region (PrL) of the medial prefrontal cortex in both females and males. Using mice as a model, we first show that adolescent alcohol exposure disrupts episodic-like memory in female and male adult mice. We then show that adolescent alcohol exposure decreases dopaminergic presynaptic terminals in the PrL in female and ma

SUBMITTER: Seiglie MP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11789929 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature