Publications by authors named "Elizabeth B Sutherland"
Background: Alcohol is commonly consumed by adolescents in a binge-like pattern, which can lead to long-lasting cognitive deficits, including reduced behavioral flexibility. We and others have determined that adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) exposure leads to increased number of perineuronal net (PNN) numbers in brain regions that are important for behavioral flexibility. However, whether altered neurochemistry stemming from AIE exposure plays a significant role in reduced behavioral flexibility is unknown.
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- Binge alcohol exposure during adolescence causes lasting changes in brain connectivity and behavior, affecting important interneurons in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and striatum that influence neural functions.
- A study found that while the density of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and parvalbumin (PV) interneurons remained similar in AIE-exposed rats compared to controls, the density of extracellular perineuronal nets (PNNs) was significantly greater in AIE rats.
- This suggests that AIE exposure may alter the role of PV interneurons, as more of them were surrounded by PNNs, potentially affecting their functionality in the adult brain.