Chronic Intermittent Ethanol Exposure and Withdrawal Alters (3 alpha, 5 alpha)-3-Hydroxy-Pregnan-20-One Immunostaining in Cortical and Limbic Brain Regions of C57BL/6J Mice

摘要

BackgroundThe GABAergic neuroactive steroid (3,5)-3-hydroxy-pregnan-20-one (3,5-THP; allopregnanolone) has been studied during withdrawal from ethanol (EtOH) in humans, rats, and mice. Serum 3,5-THP levels decreased, and brain levels were not altered following acute EtOH administration (2g/kg) in male C57BL/6J mice; however, the effects of chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) exposure on 3,5-THP levels have not been examined. Given that CIE exposure changes subsequent voluntary EtOH drinking in a time-dependent fashion following repeated cycles of EtOH exposure, we conducted a time-course analysis of CIE effects on 3,5-THP levels in specific brain regions known to influence drinking behavior.