Abstract
The aim of the study was to evaluate rat models of intermittent alcohol abuse (heavy session/'heavy session' drinking) in relation to inflammatory changes in specific brain regions as well as in the periphery. Furthermore, the study was aimed to assess whether there are inflammatory changes in the blood of human intermittent alcohol abusers who might be associated with changes in neuronal circuitry in the brain, as assessed by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), which cause adverse effects on memory and learning. Various regimes of intermittent alcohol administration have been used in rat models, which vary with respect to the dose and duration of ethanol administration as well as the time of abstinence. Immunohistological methods were used to identify activated microglia in specific brain regions. The response of isolated alveolar macrophages to in vitro stimuli was assessed by the assay of nitric oxide and the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNFα. Blood samples were collected from university students who had been heavy session drinkers for 2 years to assess whether there was an inflammatory cytokine profile that correlated with cognitive test scores as well as fMRI findings. The extent of microglia activation appears to depend on the doses and duration of ethanol administration. In addition, there is activation of phagocytic cells in the periphery, e.g. alveolar macrophages, in the rat models of heavy session drinking. Changes in the plasma levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines were present in heavy session drinking students, although no changes were identified in specific cognitive tests (which may be because of compensatory changes in the prefrontal cortex, as identified by fMRI). Changes in the cytokine levels induced by intermittent ethanol abuse may provoke inflammatory pathways in specific brain regions, such as hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (particularly during the stage of active neurogenesis in the adolescent brain), which might induce cognitive impairment in susceptible individuals.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.