Chronic ethanol exposure produces long-lasting, subregion-specific physiological adaptations in RMTg-projecting mPFC neurons.

Chronic ethanol exposure produces neuroadaptations in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) that are thought to facilitate maladaptive behaviors that interfere with recovery from alcohol use disorder. Despite evidence that different cortico-subcortical projections play distinct roles in behavior, few studies have examined the physiological effects of chronic ethanol at the circuit level. The rostromedial tegmental nucleus (RMTg) is functionally altered by chronic ethanol exposure.

Chronic ethanol exposure produces long-lasting, subregion-specific physiological adaptations in RMTg-projecting mPFC neurons.

Chronic ethanol exposure produces neuroadaptations in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) which facilitate the maladaptive behaviors interfering with recovery from alcohol use disorder. Despite evidence that different cortico-subcortical projections play distinct roles in behavior, few studies have examined the physiological effects of chronic ethanol at the circuit level. The rostromedial tegmental nucleus (RMTg) is a GABAergic midbrain region involved in aversive signaling and is functionally altered by chronic ethanol exposure.

Attenuated incubation of ethanol-induced conditioned taste aversion in a model of dependence.

Rationale: Preclinical studies report attenuated ethanol-induced conditioned taste aversion (CTA) following chronic ethanol exposure, suggesting that tolerance develops to the aversive properties of ethanol. However, these studies are confounded by pre-exposure to the unconditioned stimulus (US; ethanol), which is well known to hinder conditioning.

Objectives: This study was designed to determine whether chronic ethanol exposure produces tolerance to the aversive properties of ethanol in the absence of a US pre-exposure confound.

A translational rodent model of individual differences in sensitivity to the aversive properties of ethanol.

Background: A strong relationship exists between individual sensitivity to the aversive properties of ethanol and risk for alcohol use disorder (AUD). Despite this, our understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the subjective response to ethanol is limited. A major contributor to this lack of knowledge is the absence of preclinical models that enable exploration of this individual variability such as is possible in studies of humans.

Attenuated incubation of ethanol-induced conditioned taste aversion in a model of dependence.

Rationale: Preclinical studies report attenuated ethanol-induced conditioned taste aversion (CTA) following chronic ethanol exposure, suggesting that tolerance develops to the aversive properties of ethanol. However, these studies are confounded by pre-exposure to the unconditioned stimulus (US; ethanol), which is well known to hinder conditioning.

Objectives: This study was designed to determine whether chronic ethanol exposure produces tolerance to the aversive properties of ethanol in the absence of a US pre-exposure confound.