Qingyu Zhao1, Kilian M Pohl1,2, Edith V Sullivan1, Adolf Pfefferbaum1,2, Natalie M Zahr1,2. 1. From the, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, (QZ, KMP, EVS, AP, NMZ), Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California. 2. Neuroscience Program, (KMP, AP, NMZ), SRI International, Menlo Park, California.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In a previous study using Jacobian mapping to evaluate the morphological effects on the brain of binge (4-day) intragastric ethanol (EtOH) on wild-type Wistar rats, we reported reversible thalamic shrinkage and lateral ventricular enlargement, but persistent superior and inferior colliculi shrinkage in response to binge EtOH treatment. METHODS: Herein, we used similar voxel-based comparisons of Magnetic Resonance Images collected in EtOH-exposed relative to control animals to test the hypothesis that regardless of the intoxication protocol or the rat strain, the hippocampi, thalami, and colliculi would be affected. RESULTS: Two experiments [binge (4-day) intragastric EtOH in Fisher 344 rats and chronic (1-month) vaporized EtOH in Wistar rats] showed similarly affected brain regions including retrosplenial and cingulate cortices, dorsal hippocampi, central and ventroposterior thalami, superior and inferior colliculi, periaqueductal gray, and corpus callosum. While most of these regions showed significant recovery, volumes of the colliculi and periaqueductal gray continued to show response to each proximal EtOH exposure but at diminished levels with repeated cycles. CONCLUSIONS: Given the high metabolic rate of these enduringly affected regions, the current findings suggest that EtOH per se may affect cellular respiration leading to brain volume deficits. Further, responsivity greatly diminished likely reflecting neuroadaptation to repeated alcohol exposure. In summary, this unbiased, in vivo-based approach demonstrating convergent brain systems responsive to 2 EtOH exposure protocols in 2 rat strains highlights regions that warrant further investigation in both animal models of alcoholism and in humans with alcohol use disorder.
BACKGROUND: In a previous study using Jacobian mapping to evaluate the morphological effects on the brain of binge (4-day) intragastric ethanol (EtOH) on wild-type Wistar rats, we reported reversible thalamic shrinkage and lateral ventricular enlargement, but persistent superior and inferior colliculi shrinkage in response to binge EtOH treatment. METHODS: Herein, we used similar voxel-based comparisons of Magnetic Resonance Images collected in EtOH-exposed relative to control animals to test the hypothesis that regardless of the intoxication protocol or the rat strain, the hippocampi, thalami, and colliculi would be affected. RESULTS: Two experiments [binge (4-day) intragastric EtOH in Fisher 344 rats and chronic (1-month) vaporized EtOH in Wistar rats] showed similarly affected brain regions including retrosplenial and cingulate cortices, dorsal hippocampi, central and ventroposterior thalami, superior and inferior colliculi, periaqueductal gray, and corpus callosum. While most of these regions showed significant recovery, volumes of the colliculi and periaqueductal gray continued to show response to each proximal EtOH exposure but at diminished levels with repeated cycles. CONCLUSIONS: Given the high metabolic rate of these enduringly affected regions, the current findings suggest that EtOH per se may affect cellular respiration leading to brain volume deficits. Further, responsivity greatly diminished likely reflecting neuroadaptation to repeated alcohol exposure. In summary, this unbiased, in vivo-based approach demonstrating convergent brain systems responsive to 2 EtOH exposure protocols in 2 rat strains highlights regions that warrant further investigation in both animal models of alcoholism and in humans with alcohol use disorder.
Authors: Xue Hua; Alex D Leow; Neelroop Parikshak; Suh Lee; Ming-Chang Chiang; Arthur W Toga; Clifford R Jack; Michael W Weiner; Paul M Thompson Journal: Neuroimage Date: 2008-07-22 Impact factor: 6.556
Authors: Adolf Pfefferbaum; Natalie M Zahr; Stephanie A Sassoon; Dongjin Kwon; Kilian M Pohl; Edith V Sullivan Journal: Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging Date: 2018-07-04
Authors: Adolf Pfefferbaum; Margaret J Rosenbloom; Weiwei Chu; Stephanie A Sassoon; Torsten Rohlfing; Kilian M Pohl; Natalie M Zahr; Edith V Sullivan Journal: Lancet Psychiatry Date: 2014-08-05 Impact factor: 27.083
Authors: Rachel J Smith; Rachel I Anderson; Harold L Haun; Patrick J Mulholland; William C Griffin; Marcelo F Lopez; Howard C Becker Journal: Addict Biol Date: 2019-07-09 Impact factor: 4.280
Authors: Anderson M Winkler; Gerard R Ridgway; Matthew A Webster; Stephen M Smith; Thomas E Nichols Journal: Neuroimage Date: 2014-02-11 Impact factor: 6.556