Ethanol drinking at adulthood is sensitive to S1-R antagonism and is promoted by binge ethanol self-administration at adolescence.

Background: Binge drinking at adolescence is a risk factor for problematic alcohol (ethanol) consumption later in life, yet the murine studies that modelled this phenomenon via ethanol self-administration have provided mixed findings. Antagonism of the sigma-1 receptor (S1-R) system at adolescence modulates ethanol's motivational effects and intake. It is still unknown, however, whether this antagonism would protect against enhanced ethanol intake at adulthood after adolescent binge ethanol exposure.

Methods: Exp. 1 and 2 tested adults male or female Wistar rats -exposed or not to ethanol self-administration at adolescence (postnatal days 31-49; nine 2-hour sessions of access to 8-10% ethanol)- for ethanol intake using 24-h two-bottle choice test (Exp. 1) or time restricted, single-bottle, tests (Exp. 2). Experiments 2-5 evaluated, in adolescent or adult rats, the effects of the S1-R antagonist S1RA on ethanol intake and on ethanol-induced conditioned taste or place aversion. Ancillary tests (e.g., novel object recognition, ethanol-induced locomotor activity) were also conducted.

Results: Adolescent ethanol exposure promoted ethanol consumption at both the restricted, single-bottle, and at the two-bottle choice tests conducted at adulthood. S1RA administration reduced ethanol intake at adulthood and facilitated the development of ethanol-induced taste (but not place) aversion.

Conclusions: S1RA holds promise for lessening ethanol intake after chronic and substantial ethanol exposure in adolescence that results in heightened ethanol exposure at adulthood. This putative protective effect of S1-R antagonism may relate to S1RA exacerbating the aversive effects of this drug.