Binge ethanol exposure in late gestation induces ethanol aversion in the dam but enhances ethanol intake in the offspring and affects their postnatal learning about ethanol.

Previous studies show that exposure to 1 or 2g/kg of ethanol during the last days of gestation increases ethanol acceptance in infant rats. We tested whether prenatal exposure to 3g/kg, a relatively high ethanol dose, generates an aversion to ethanol in both the dam and offspring, and whether this prenatal experience affects the expression of learning derived from ethanol exposure postnatally. The answer was uncertain, because postnatal administration of a 3-g/kg ethanol dose induces an aversion to ethanol after postnatal day (PD) 10 but increases ethanol acceptance when administered during the first postnatal week. In the present study, pregnant rats received intragastric administrations of water or ethanol (3g/kg) on gestation days 17-20. On PDs 7-8 or 10-11, the offspring were administered water or ethanol (3g/kg). Intake of ethanol and water, locomotor activity in an open field, and ethanol odor preference were evaluated in the pups, whereas the mothers were evaluated in terms of ethanol intake. Results indicated an aversion to ethanol in dams that had been administered ethanol during gestation, despite a general increase in ethanol intake observed in their pups relative to controls. The prenatal ethanol exposure also potentiated the increase in ethanol intake observed after intoxication on PDs 7-8. Ethanol intoxication on PDs 10-11 reduced ethanol consumption; this ethanol aversion was still evident in infant rats exposed prenatally to ethanol despite their general increase in ethanol intake. No effects of prenatal ethanol exposure were observed in terms of motor activity or odor preference. It is concluded that prenatal exposure to ethanol, even in a dose that induces ethanol aversion in the gestating dam, increases ethanol intake in infant rats and that this experience modulates age-related differences in subsequent postnatal learning about ethanol.