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The impact of periconceptional alcohol exposure on fat preference and gene expression in the mesolimbic reward pathway in adult rat offspring

Part of: DOHaD on International Women's Day 2020

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 October 2017

E. S. Dorey ,
C. L. Cullen ,
D. Lucia ,
K. M. Mah ,
M.-L. Roy Manchadi ,
B. S. Muhlhausler  and
K. M. Moritz
E. S. Dorey
Affiliation:
School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
C. L. Cullen
Affiliation:
School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
D. Lucia
Affiliation:
School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
K. M. Mah
Affiliation:
School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
M.-L. Roy Manchadi
Affiliation:
School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
B. S. Muhlhausler
Affiliation:
School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
K. M. Moritz*
Affiliation:
School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
*
*Address for correspondence: Professor K. Moritz, School of Biomedical Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia. (Email [email protected])
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Abstract

Alcohol consumption around the time of conception is highly prevalent in Western countries. Exposure to ethanol levels during gestation has been associated with altered development of the mesolimbic reward pathway in rats and increased propensity to addiction, however the effect of exposure only around the time of conception is unknown. The current study investigated the effects of periconceptional alcohol exposure (PC:EtOH) on alcohol and palatable food preferences and gene expression in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the nucleus accumbens of the adult offspring. Rats were exposed to a liquid diet containing ethanol (EtOH) (12.5% vol/vol) or a control diet from 4 days before mating until 4 days after mating. PC:EtOH had no effect on alcohol preference in either sex. At 15 months of age, however, male PC:EtOH offspring consumed more high-fat food when compared with male control offspring, but this preference was not observed in females. Expression of the dopamine receptor type 1 (Drd1a) was lower in the VTA of male PC:EtOH offspring compared with their control counterparts. There was no effect of PC:EtOH on mRNA expression of the µ-opioid receptor, tyrosine hydroxylase (Th), dopamine receptor type 2 (Drd2) or dopamine active transporter (Slc6a3). These data support the hypothesis that periconceptional alcohol exposure can alter expression of key components of the mesolimbic reward pathway and heighten the preference of offspring for palatable foods and may therefore increase their propensity towards diet-induced obesity. These results highlight the importance of alcohol avoidance when planning a pregnancy.

Keywords

alcoholfood preferencepregnancyreward
Type
Original Article
Information
Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease , Volume 9 , Issue 2 , April 2018 , pp. 223 - 231
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Copyright
© Cambridge University Press and the International Society for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease 2017 

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