Effect of Adolescent Ethanol Exposure on Sickness-Induced Anorexia Following an Adult Poly I:C Challenge

Authors: Alina Rhodes, Anny Gano, Sarah Trapp, Terrence Deak

Field of Study: Integrative Neuroscience

Program Affiliation: Summer Scholars and Artists Program (SSAP), The Deak Neuroimmunology Lab

Faculty Mentors: Terrence Deak

Easel: 52

Timeslot: Afternoon

Abstract: Adolescent alcohol misuse may result in long-lasting neural alterations and neuroimmune dysfunction (Crews et al., 2016). Although alcohol exposure increases susceptibility to infection, its impact on neuroimmune responses in adulthood, such as fever and anorexia, remains underexplored. The current study examined the effect of adolescent alcohol exposure on an adult poly I:C (viral mimetic) challenge, in female Sprague Dawley rats. Utilizing a 2 (adolescent history) by 2 (adult challenge) between subjects design, animals received intermittent access to ethanol or simply water in adolescence, followed by a poly I:C or saline vehicle injection in adulthood. As expected, Poly I:C evoked a robust fever and induction of inflammation-associated genes as assessed by rt-PCR in the CNS (ARC, PVN, NTS). However, adolescent alcohol had minimal effects on fever, induction of inflammation, or in neuropeptides associated with consummatory behavior.