Early life stress modulates behavioral sensitivity to alcohol and promotes escalation of alcohol drinking.

ABSTRACT: Adverse childhood experiences significantly increase the risk of developing alcohol use disorder (AUD) in adulthood. We used a model of combined limited bedding/nesting and maternal separation (LBN+MS) in C57BL/6J background mice to investigate how early life stress (ELS) modulates behavioral sensitivity to alcohol, long-term alcohol drinking patterns, and the effects of alcohol on social behaviors. Our findings reveal that ELS increased sensitivity to the stimulatory locomotor effects of alcohol (1.75 g/kg) selectively in females and reduced sensitivity to the sedative effects of alcohol (4.0 g/kg) particularly in males. This pattern of enhanced stimulation and diminished sedation is consistent with phenotypes observed in human subjects at high risk for developing AUD. ELS also significan

SUBMITTER: Morningstar AR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12262304 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature